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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989353">The Fall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiscesDragon/pseuds/ShamelessPeterPan'>ShamelessPeterPan (PiscesDragon)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Before They Were Kings [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Chinese Actor RPF, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Acting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, CQL BTS, Co-workers, Crushes, Dominant Yibo, Drinking, Eventual Happy Ending, Falling In Love, Fighting and making up, Flirting, Getting Together, Giving in to temptation, Jealous Xiao Zhan, Lust, M/M, Making Out, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Oral Sex, Pining, Resisting Impulses, Separations, Sharing a Room, Slow Burn, You Can't Fight Fate, ZhuLiuHai honorable mention, bjyx - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:55:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>39,966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24989353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiscesDragon/pseuds/ShamelessPeterPan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For Xiao Zhan, falling in love wasn’t immediate. It was falling into a fire that he tried to fight, struggling against a losing battle between his head and the mixed-up emotions of his heart. It was resisting the pull of what felt like his other half, because it was a bad idea to get involved with a co-star, especially one six years his junior.</p><p>In the end, falling in love was impossible. And inevitable.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wang Yi Bo &amp; Xiao Zhan, Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Before They Were Kings [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>224</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>613</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. April</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is sort of (maybe?) a sequel or companion piece to <a>Getting Here</a>, which is Yibo’s POV. But you don’t have to read that to understand anything in this story.</p><p>I’m basically weaving together my own head canon for Xiao Zhan’s POV with tidbits from the bts videos and some “fake” stories from the Weibo rumor mill.</p><p>Thanks so much to Tee for being my beta for this one!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The kid was killing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had only been filming for a few weeks — literally weeks! — and the struggle was real.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t that he was annoying, though he could be. Or that he was overly talkative, which was true as well, though Xiao Zhan seemed to be the only person on set who had that effect on the younger actor. He wasn’t unprofessional or bad at his job. No, the problem was the whole package of Wang Yibo was just… a lot to deal with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan had been thrown off kilter, overwhelmed, and his control was frayed at the edges. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> a feeling he was comfortable with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wang Yibo’s fault.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d clicked immediately — a rare experience for Xiao Zhan and apparently an even more unlikely occurrence for his co-star. As different as they were from each other, they had enough in common to get along well and keep each other entertained for hours. Though their tastes in music ran somewhat in different directions, as demonstrated by Yibo’s love of rap and Xiao Zhan’s affection for more classic ballads, they still found many groups and singers in common that they both enjoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them also had a similar sense of humor, sarcastic and just a little odd. Being around Yibo was just </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Xiao Zhan couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent so much time laughing while at work. It was easy and comfortable, and Xiao Zhan could count on one hand the number of people in his life he found as easy to talk to as Wang Yibo. The man was honest and straight-forward, both qualities that Xiao Zhan appreciated, though he knew other people didn’t always find it so endearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the same time, Yibo understood his occasional need for quiet to recharge and maintain his mental strength. Although finding a place to be alone on set was impossible, they would often sit next to each other in silence, each distracted with a video or music on their phone, simply existing in the same tranquil space. In an industry with so many outgoing individuals, it was nice to find a kindred introverted soul, and their compatibility only made it easier to develop the bond they were portraying on the screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since Yibo was fairly quiet, and didn’t trust others easily, he was extremely loyal and trustworthy as a friend. And Yibo was exactly the type of friend Xiao Zhan desperately needed — someone experienced in the industry, who had years of knowledge about dealing with management and making career choices. Somebody removed from his own company, who wasn’t a band mate in the exact same position and just as lost as he was. Plus, Xiao Zhan didn’t have to worry about his concerns making it back to his management, because Yibo didn’t gossip like that. At least, not about anything that really mattered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was easy for them to simply fall into a friendship naturally, as much out of necessity for the parts they were playing as to how easily they got along right away. All of the ways they clicked together like two pieces of a puzzle should have been fine. It could have been perfect, actually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The problem with Yibo was that he was as gay as the day was long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan didn’t even have the option of questioning the kid’s sexuality or telling himself he was reading the signs wrong. While at least half of the male cast constantly commented to Xiao Zhan on his luck at getting to work so closely with Xuan Lu and Meng Ziyi, Yibo’s gaze seemed permanently affixed to Xiao Zhan’s own face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What’s worse, Yibo didn’t even need to say a word about his crush, because the heart eyes the kid was constantly throwing in his direction said everything. It was incredibly apparent that no one else on set got the same treatment from Yibo that Xiao Zhan was given. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though he would talk with his other castmates, Yibo was different when they were together on set. Ji Li had even taken to jokingly referring to Xiao Zhan as “Yibo’s Light” — because his presence was all it took for Wang Yibo to come out of his shell and bloom like a rose in the sun. He was lively, chatty, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>flirty</span>
  </em>
  <span> with Xiao Zhan in a way no one else on set seemed able to bring out in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It still could have been fine. Xiao Zhan was nothing if not a professional, and this was his first major leading role. He didn’t need feelings and desires bleeding into it and messing everything up. He’d been given the responsibility of being the centerpiece of the entire project, and he took that seriously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he was still only a man. And an incredibly visually oriented man at that. He couldn’t help but notice and appreciate the fine lines of Yibo done up in character every day. The wide shoulders, the sharp cut of his jawline, his eyes like fire in a head held high and confident. Lan Wangji was meant to be beautiful and sexy as hell, and Yibo did not disappoint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet somehow, the kid was even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> gorgeous off set and out of the wig and makeup. All of his amazing features were still there, but softened around the edges. His body, more relaxed without the cameras rolling, had a more sensuous natural movement. Xiao Zhan had noticed it at the very beginning, of course. How could he not take note of the boy beside him at the table read, with the soft, feathery hair and kind eyes who laughed with him and gifted him with such bright smiles?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Xiao Zhan was not a child who lacked self-control. No, his undoing was the fault of the directors. It was, after all, their decision that created an environment ripe for poor choices to be made.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The collapse of his professionalism, ultimately, was all due to the fact that they’d been asked to share a room for the first month of filming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the dynamic to work on screen, he and Yibo needed to build a connection — and nothing created intimacy between two people as quickly as living together. Sharing a tight space forced interactions and a type of teamwork that no amount of character study could replace. You got to know a person when you were sleeping in the same room, whether you wanted to or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> was Xiao Zhan’s downfall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could ignore the crush. He could play and be friendly with Yibo on set and keep everything else under lock and key. But after a few weeks of rooming together, when the “newness” and awkward honeymoon period was over, Xiao Zhan just </span>
  <em>
    <span>could not deal.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The first time Yibo came strolling out of the bathroom, bluish hair wet from the shower with water dripping down his pale bare chest and a hand tugging at the waistband of his underwear, the section of Xiao Zhan’s brain holding his self control cracked like an egg.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it not enough that the kid was fucking gorgeous — which Yibo was kind enough to remind him of with the selfies and professional photos he’d begun to send </span>
  <em>
    <span>constantly</span>
  </em>
  <span> to his phone — he had to have that perfect dancer’s body, too?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The view left Xiao Zhan regretting </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of his life choices. The kid was twenty — oh my god, only twenty! — and a baby compared to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So young, too young!</span>
  </em>
  <span> played through his head like a daily alarm reminding him that his co-star was off limits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet he still couldn’t seem to keep himself from flirting with him. Yibo seemed so innocent, and it was fun to get a reaction out of him. He was even digging up the little Korean he knew just to try to impress the kid, and probably making an ass of himself in the process. Today he’d stooped so low as to call him “Sunbae” and throw himself at his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d been filming on a boat at a lake, the heat and humidity combined with his lack of sleep making him feel like he might keel over into the water at any moment. His schedule had been hectic for a few weeks, being pulled back and forth between two dramas being filmed in different places. A part of him wished he’d never signed on to the small part in “Joy of Life”, but at the time, he’d had no way of knowing he’d be getting such a major lead role just a few months later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yibo had been giving him a hard time, talking crap to him about not being on set and trying to get a rise out of him. His wicked smile was throwing Xiao Zhan’s equilibrium off even further — he wasn’t sure if he wanted to smack him for being a brat or kiss that grin right off his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The battle between those two instincts seemed to be happening more and more often with every day they spent together on set.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan distracted himself for a moment by twisting around to take a look at the other boat to see what the others were doing, while Yibo tried to backpedal and make up for insulting him. He finally snapped, unable to continue listening to the kid gush at him anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just count and see who’s been here the longest?” Xiao Zhan yelled, pretending to be angry and then softening the blow with a smile when Yibo’s expression turned nervous. He glanced at the camera, remembering they were surrounded not only by staff but technology recording their behind-the-scenes experiences as well. He lowered his voice. “Of course, I can’t say it like that. Wang-laoshi works really hard too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rambled his way into explaining to the camera crew why he’d been off set for another drama and then veered back to Yibo to try to turn the tables on him. He should have known that wouldn’t work — it just turned into a compliment war as they both talked over each other, telling the crew how great the other person was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a few minutes they joked with each other, putting on a show as much for the crew as for each other. Yibo started complaining about their age difference, how Xiao Zhan mistreated him because he was older. He couldn’t help but poke back, pointing out that Yibo didn’t treat him like a gege, and delighting in the bright smile that lit up Yibo’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he’d badgered Yibo into finally submitting and deferring to him with an “Ok, Ge”, he couldn’t help but try to put them back on equal footing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sunbae!” he cried with a laugh, not even thinking as he dropped to his knees. The position put him directly between Yibo’s spread legs, their smooth lengths nearly the same color as the white he was wearing, which was pulled up above his knees to help cool off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was eye level with the man’s dick — not a position he was wholly uncomfortable with aside from the audience around them and the fact that said man was the co-star he’d been trying to avoid getting into such a situation with. Luckily, he wasn’t stuck there for long. Whether out of pity or self-preservation, Yibo also dropped into a squat on the floor next to him. They both immediately recognized their proximity and the fact that there was a camera taping behind them, and they hopped back up to a more appropriate distance on their respective benches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them continued to bicker and poke at each other for a few more minutes, before the director was calling for the actors to prepare for shooting to resume. Xiao Zhan, having seen the way Yibo’s face lit up when he’d used it before, couldn’t resist calling him “Sunbae” once more as they got back into their assigned places. The assistant who’d been fanning him for the last half hour threw him a knowing look, but Xiao Zhan ignored it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His flirting was harmless. He was a grown man, and he could totally control himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing was going to happen.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Part of this chapter borrows from the “9 minutes bickering on a boat” behind the scenes video which can be found (with english subs) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2peennCFIsg&amp;list=PLlRLKyDtdPcbKRtv2BHt3yPQbKdRlenn6&amp;index=4&amp;t=278s">here if you’re interested</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. May</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As they move into the second month of filming, Xiao Zhan's struggle to resist his co-star intensifies.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>He could do nothing but stare at Yibo in silence, trying and failing to come up with a witty response while the other man threw those ridiculously soft eyes at him with a small, shy smile. Xiao Zhan’s romantic little heart pounded like a traitor, threatening to jump out of his chest and straight into Yibo’s waiting hands. With the costume, the wig and the headband, he was Lan Zhan — his Lan Zhan — except with Yibo’s crooked grin, and so much desire swirled in his gut Xiao Zhan thought he might burst into flames. As the awkward silence overwhelmed them, the impulse to grab the younger man by the collar and kiss the life out of him intensified until he was gripping the skirt of his hanfu to prevent himself from doing exactly that.<br/></p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to Tee for beta reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was the end of May, and Xiao Zhan was coming unwound. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Something</span>
  </em>
  <span> was going to happen between them, and it was quickly just becoming a question of when. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though their time as roommates had ended when they’d moved to a different filming location, and to Xiao Zhan’s relief, they had been given separate rooms when they got back to the main set, the flirting between them had only escalated. In fact, it was so bad that it must have been obvious to everyone, because he’d overheard Yu Bin taking bets on when their project was going to become a </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> BL behind closed doors. Even Xuan Lu — his own </span>
  <em>
    <span>shijie</span>
  </em>
  <span> — had tried asking him covertly about Yibo, in an attempt to gather inside information and improve her odds in the betting pool.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d shrugged her off with a laugh, telling her to be more concerned with her own romances, but his inner turmoil only continued to bubble away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The problem was that reality and fantasy were beginning to blur together. Between the heat, the long exhausting days, and the way Wei Wuxian had seeped into his bones and wrapped himself in Xiao Zhan’s skin, his whole world was becoming a haze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Yibo was right at the center of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the feelings Wei Wuxian had for Lan Zhan — from a crush to a bond that transcended death itself — was being molded within his body and aimed with laser focus at Yibo, often on a daily basis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The kid loved it — he soaked up Xiao Zhan’s attention like a sponge, and when he didn’t get it, or Xiao Zhan didn’t react fast enough to suit him, the boy </span>
  <em>
    <span>demanded</span>
  </em>
  <span> it. Rarely in a manner that annoyed, but instead playful, like a puppy that didn’t know when to stop but was too adorable to scold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today he had chased Xiao Zhan around the makeup room with a camera, as exuberant as a middle schooler with a crush, going on and on about the attractiveness of all the different parts of Xiao Zhan’s body. Wang Yibo was not the type of person to give compliments lightly, regardless of the rainbow farting they’d begun using to attack each other during interviews with media groups visiting the set. He’d told himself that was all just for show, though. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d heard Yibo compliment another cast member, so when it happened, it was guaranteed to be well deserved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet having a camera repeatedly shoved in his face and being told his </span>
  <em>
    <span>leg hair</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all things was beautiful was annoying as fuck. So what if he had started it, taking behind-the-scenes video a few days before while Yibo was trapped in the makeup chair under the skillful hands of the artist applying his eyeliner. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> had only accosted the younger man for a few moments, pointing out his long lashes and beautiful eyes. Yibo had been droning on about Xiao Zhan’s features for over five minutes, following him around the room while Xiao Zhan tried to escape the assault. He’d even tried smacking Yibo, though without any real force, to get him to knock it off. But like a dog with a bone, the young man was undeterred.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The worst part was that as much as he claimed to be annoyed by it, deep down Xiao Zhan </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yibo’s overabundant attention. There was no better boost for his ego than to have such a funny, talented and gorgeous person focusing solely on him. And to be forced to hear about all the parts of him that Yibo liked the most? It was embarrassing less for the fact there was an audience than for just how much Xiao Zhan </span>
  <em>
    <span>enjoyed</span>
  </em>
  <span> it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d never thought of himself as having a praise kink, but after a couple of months spent with Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan was suddenly beginning to wonder. He also couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to hear that same deep, smooth voice say those sweet words in his ear with Yibo’s toned body pressed against him, trapping and caging Xiao Zhan beneath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On more than a few nights, when he hadn’t fallen into bed exhausted but instead was too keyed up to sleep, he had queued up the man’s voice and image like a playlist in his mind, wrapped a hand around himself and gotten off to the thought of Yibo taking him apart in all the ways he dreamed of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He told himself it was character bleed, that with Wei Wuxian’s energy running through his veins, of course, his own impulsive and coquettish attitudes were in overdrive. It was normal to feel something for the man he was pretending to be in love with. If not, how could he possibly bring those feelings to life on screen? Xiao Zhan’s logical brain reminded himself of these facts each time as he cleaned himself up and forced himself to focus on the next day’s schedule and the tasks ahead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wei Wuxian</span>
  </em>
  <span> that loved </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lan Wangji.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then why did his heart race when Yibo shot him a quirky grin? Why was the tenor of the man’s voice so soothing, like a cold stream able to wash away the heat of afternoons and make it more bearable? Why did he feel lost, and a little sad, on the days when Yibo was away from set and fulfilling his many other obligations?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was all getting to be too much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Yibo was getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>bolder.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were taking a break, a regular occurrence on set while the crew rearranged and reset lighting and cameras to their liking. To avoid the heat inducing any more sweating than necessary, Xiao Zhan found a spot to sit in with a tiny bit of shade. As usual, Wang Yibo tagged right along behind him, dropping down next to him and sitting entirely too close given the warmth and lack of breeze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> have been uncomfortable. Xiao Zhan was certain he himself was just a pile of damp cloth at this point. He’d gotten used to feeling wet, sticky and basically disgusting for most of every day at this point. He couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to come into his space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo was a stark contrast. Most days he somehow managed to appear cool and untainted, with just a light sheen of sweat making him shimmer like some kind of magical being. Xiao Zhan had no idea how the kid managed it, but he always smelled </span>
  <em>
    <span>so good.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was some combination of woodsy musk and flowery jasmine that made Xiao Zhan’s brain malfunction. On days like this when Yibo was practically sitting in his lap, he had to resist the urge to turn and press his face into the side of the boy’s neck to breathe in his fresh, clean scent like it could recharge him for the hours of filming left in the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo had pulled out his phone with yet another video of himself riding a motorcycle and insisted Xiao Zhan watch with him. As if Xiao Zhan had anything to contribute as a critique! He knew nothing about motorcycles — hell, he didn’t even have the skill to ride a bicycle. He was sure he’d been asked to watch not for feedback but because Yibo knew exactly how he looked on that bike. Sexy in the tight leather jumpsuit and powerful as he straddled the large bike, with his strong legs and big hands controlling the machine as he leaned over it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His brain strayed to wondering what Yibo would look like leaning over </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> like that in bed, and he pinched nervously at the top of his thighs to distract himself from such a dangerous thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a reason why you like riding,” Xiao Zhan commented as the video ended. “You’re so good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Showering Yibo with compliments had become easy and comfortable, and it prevented him from thinking about himself and the things he wanted too much. Yibo laughed, not denying the compliment but not wanting to agree to it either, so Xiao Zhan continued, “Wang-laoshi, do you have any other hobbies? Tell me. Let’s see if there’s any I haven’t heard from you yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop, don’t pretend you don’t know,” Yibo answered, turning off his phone and handing it to his assistant who was walking by. “Just dancing and snowboarding. And… I’m having fun shooting this drama right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His face held an expression he couldn’t quite read, and it made Xiao Zhan nervous. To cover, he flirted, “Wow! There are so many things you like, Wang-laoshi!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s something else I like,” Yibo said, his eyes almost glowing with their intensity. “Do you want to hear it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yes, I know!” Xiao Zhan replied playfully, hoping to distract Yibo from wherever he was trying to go with the conversation. He listed a few of Yibo’s favorites he’d picked up over the last few weeks, counting them off on his fingers. “You like vinegar, eating cilantro, and hitting me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo laughed and went quiet, and they sat in silence for a few moments. Xiao Zhan sighed as he let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, leaning back to stretch his spine and throwing his head back to try to free the back of his neck from the weight and heat of the wig.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s something else I like,” Yibo said softly, breaking the silence. “I like the sun during the day and the moon at night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was… a completely unexpected and random phrase to come out of the mouth of one Wang Yibo. Was this some type of poetry?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan sat up quickly, gazing at the younger man with a keen eye. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did you learn this saying? You like the moon at night? Can’t you just like the stars? You only like the moon?” Xiao Zhan questioned. He’d expected Yibo to argue with him, to jump into a debate and defend himself. Stars were his own preference in the night sky, and he couldn’t help wondering what someone would find interesting about something as plain as the moon. But when he looked over, Yibo was gazing at him with a shy look, the soft huff of a chuckle sounding from his throat. “Then what about stars? This seems so wrong in itself. It’s not fair to the stars…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His voice trailed off as he finally put it all together in his brain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>I love three things in this world.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>I love the sun for day,</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>The moon for night,</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>And you forever.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a cute little poem that had made the rounds on Weibo a few years ago. Xiao Zhan remembered it mostly because the girlfriend of his college roommate had made a little poster with the saying and then bullied him into hanging it up in their apartment. The brief thought reminded Xiao Zhan that he was overdue to send them a WeChat message and ask how their little girl was doing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While a tiny part of his brain made that mental note, however, the rest of it freaked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do nothing but stare at Yibo in silence, trying and failing to come up with a witty response while the other man threw those ridiculously soft eyes at him with a small, shy smile. Xiao Zhan’s romantic little heart pounded like a traitor, threatening to jump out of his chest and straight into Yibo’s waiting hands. With the costume, the wig and the headband, he was Lan Zhan — </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lan Zhan — except with Yibo’s crooked grin, and so much desire swirled in his gut Xiao Zhan thought he might burst into flames. As the awkward silence overwhelmed them, the impulse to grab the younger man by the collar and kiss the life out of him intensified until he was gripping the skirt of his hanfu to prevent himself from doing exactly that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Yibo’s tongue snaked out to lick his ridiculously plump, stupidly pink lips, and Xiao Zhan’s brain went completely off line. Like an out-of-body experience, he was moving but he couldn’t be sure how it was happening. He just knew Yibo’s beautiful eyes and sinful mouth were getting closer. One of Xiao Zhan’s hands was sliding across silky, white fabric that wasn’t part of his own costume...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A cough and movement in his peripheral vision snapped him out of the moment, reminding him they weren’t alone. As his brain kicked back into gear, he realized just how close he was to Yibo — nearly in his lap — and almost fell over in his attempt to back up. With a quick look, he saw their assistants standing together not far away, chatting quietly and sneaking suspicious glances over toward them every few seconds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>God only knew exactly how much they’d overheard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Wang Yibo, who knew you were such a poet!” Xiao Zhan said with a laugh as he nearly tripped over the fabric of his skirt in his attempt to stand up and move away from his tempting co-star. “I’m just going to… go get a drink.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a flimsy excuse for a getaway, but he wasn’t exactly lying. His mouth was as dry as a bone, and it felt as if flames were licking up his neck and onto the side of his face. But his immediate concern was getting the hell away from Yibo as quickly as possible in order to tame the boner in his shorts before they got called in front of the cameras again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was pretty sure the green tea wouldn’t be sufficient to fully quench the particular thirst he was dealing with, but it would have to do for now.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So as you can probably tell, I'm borrowing some details of this story from the BTS videos! Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z31HzKg7Adw">a video of Yibo chasing Xiao Zhan with the camera</a>. The poem scene comes from a fake candy story I saw on Twitter -- it just sounded too sweet not to use! (Unfortunately I don't have a link to that one.)</p>
<p>So what do you think? Will Xiao Zhan be able to make it through the summer without giving in to temptation? :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. June</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Thanks to his friendship with Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan gets an invite to do a guest stint on Produce 101. Though still determined to resist his co-star's charms, he's not quite as impressed when he comes face to face with someone who'd be happy to hook up with the hot young man that Xiao Zhan refused.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have zero knowledge of the backstory of XZ’s appearance on Produce 101 or the inner workings of the show — this is entirely fiction. With a little help from one or two tiny fake story candies from Weibo :)  Same goes for Z.Tao -- I have no idea what his deal is, I'm just taking a lot of artistic liberties with his fictional form!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As the weeks bled into June, Xiao Zhan couldn’t tell anymore where he ended and Wei Wuxian began. As his character, he was either a teenager thoroughly infatuated with Lan Zhan or a reincarnated adult who was head over heels in love and needed the man like oxygen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For himself, he was beginning to worry he wasn’t far behind on the same path.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Never in his life had Xiao Zhan felt this way about someone — completely comfortable and at ease, not needing to fill a role or meet the expectations they had of him. Sure, he’d gotten along extremely well with some of his X-Nine bandmates, but they were being filmed on a near constant basis. If they weren’t being recorded goofing around on their variety channel doing ridiculous games and activities, they were taping them during downtime in the dorm. It was difficult for Xiao Zhan to let down his guard and be completely himself when so many of their interactions could become public and he knew his parents and friends would be watching. It had been a fun but stressful experience and not something he’d necessarily ever want to repeat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While there were always cameras around on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chen Qing Ling</span>
  </em>
  <span> set, and occasionally catching the actors’ behind-the-scenes interactions, it wasn’t as obvious or oppressive. Yibo took an extremely devil-may-care attitude toward the cameras, not bothering to adjust his behavior or language even when he knew they were recording. It was very </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wang Yibo</span>
  </em>
  <span> to not give a shit about his image, and at some point over the last few months it had rubbed off on Xiao Zhan as well. He’d become more relaxed and carefree whenever Yibo was with him, between takes and even during interviews, as if the boy’s youthful attitude was contagious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Over the next few days, he hoped he’d also be able to channel some of Yibo’s endless energy. He would probably need it for the task he’d been given.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was in a car, being driven a couple of hours north to Hangzhou for a guest appearance on a variety show. Xiao Zhan was looking forward to it, mostly due to being able to spend time with Yibo away from their current project. It would be interesting to see how the younger man interacted with others as a mentor, and Xiao Zhan was hoping to pick up some tips and tricks for himself that he might make use of in the future. Plus, he’d quickly found that the entertainment industry was a much smaller pond than it first appeared, so meeting and networking with others could only help his career move forward. Since Yibo was already a main member of the show, he was sure to smooth the way and make Produce 101 a good experience for Xiao Zhan, especially since he’d helped make the appearance possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Early in the filming process for the show, one of the stars who’d been scheduled to come on the show as a guest coach dropped out unexpectedly. Without even discussing it with Xiao Zhan first, Wang Yibo had thrown his name out to the producers as a replacement. It had worked out well for everyone — Xiao Zhan had experience on stage being part of a large vocal group, and he was already currently filming a production for Tencent Studios, who were also the developers of the show. They were essentially able to “loan” him to Produce 101 for the day without requiring permission from his management company, and it was extra exposure for Xiao Zhan on a show with a large audience.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only thing he was worried about at all was the dancing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m really not that good, Yibo,” he said. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t want to embarrass you after you went to the trouble of getting me this job. And when will I even practice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was on set nearly every day from sun-up to well past sunset, and he was often traveling between set locations for the two different projects he was filming. Fitting in practice for anything else seemed impossible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll help you, Zhan-ge,” Yibo had reassured him. “You’ll be great.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For some reason, when Yibo said it, he believed him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So as the time for his guest appearance neared, Yibo had gotten a hold of the music and dance routine he’d need to learn and practiced with him during breaks or time spent waiting around on set. Xiao Zhan felt horribly inept next to Yibo’s skill, but it was still fun being able to goof around with a purpose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo hadn’t been able to travel with him to Hangzhou, since he’d been filming </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tian Tian Xiang Shang </span>
  </em>
  <span>the day before and had to fly there directly. But as soon as Xiao Zhan got to the set, his friend was waiting eagerly to introduce him to everyone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cast was extremely nice and welcoming, and the relaxed atmosphere made the experience more fun. His introduction to the girls he would be coaching over the next day was very unique. They had him dress as one of the set photographers, handing him a camera to use as a prop, and infiltrate the group during their practice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you mind if I actually use this?” he’d asked the staff. It had been a while since he’d been able to use a professional camera of such high quality, and he couldn’t help wanting to play around with it a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crew member gave him a quizzical look. “Do you even know how?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Xiao Zhan answered with a short laugh. “I did some professional design and photography work before I got into singing and acting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” The man looked impressed. “Wow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan smiled. “I’ll follow your lead, ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After surprising the group of girls, and thoroughly embarrassing one of them who’d been a little overly honest when he’d been in disguise, the rest of the afternoon went pretty smoothly. The girls were mostly eager to please and overwhelmed by his “handsome features”, so they had little trouble working together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During the occasional breaks, he would get cornered by a few of the girls in the hallway while off camera, but Yibo seemed to have a sixth sense about when he needed rescuing and would drop in out of nowhere to chase off the female admirers. Xiao Zhan certainly didn’t mind — none of the women compared to Yibo, who was adorable dressed in workout gear and a black beanie pulled over his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Having fun?” Yibo asked, handing Xiao Zhan a sports bottle of what turned out to be green tea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After taking a drink, he raised an eyebrow in question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo shrugged him off. “I know you like it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should work with you on all of my projects if you’re going to spoil me,” Xiao Zhan said with a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo smirked. “Is that all it takes? Because I don’t mind. You deserve to be spoiled.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d shifted slightly closer, crowding Xiao Zhan into the dark corner of the hallway, and an electric pulse seemed to buzz between them. Suddenly, the sound of high-pitched giggles echoed off the walls. Both men turned to see two girls from his group leering at them from the end of the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo glared at them darkly before turning back to Xiao Zhan. “You should get back to practice,” he said, and stepped away quickly, leaving Xiao Zhan to admire his form as he stalked gracefully back to his own practice room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later that night, he was invited out to dinner with the cast and other guests of the show. It was a rowdy, light affair, with everyone somewhat tired from the day’s practice session but excited for the performances the following day. Seated next to Yibo, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but observe the way the younger man interacted with his older co-workers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was so different from the playful boy Xiao Zhan had gotten accustomed to over the last few months. From his time on set witnessing Yibo work with their directors and crew, it was apparent that he had been raised well and was always respectful to his superiors. Similarly, around the industry elders of the Produce 101 cast, Yibo was shy and quiet. It might have been interpreted as awkward, but he was so cute and sweet they all seemed to love him, even when his honest commentary on a topic came across a bit crude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was no wonder Wang Yibo had been so successful in entertainment circles from such a young age — even with the lack of a verbal filter, there was just something about the boy that made him irresistible. Xiao Zhan was glad to find that he was far from the only person who couldn’t help but fall for the young man’s charm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or he was, until it became very apparent that he wasn’t the only current cast mate of Yibo’s who might have more than a friendly interest in him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An hour into dinner, as they were finishing up the meal, Huang Zitao was really beginning to piss Xiao Zhan off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huang Zitao, or Z. Tao as he was now going by professionally, had been a member of the popular Korean-Chinese group EXO. He’d quit the group a few years ago for a solo career in China, and so far it had been working out well for him. He was the same age as Xiao Zhan, maybe a little younger, but he had already won a number of awards and was even the producer and host of the Produce 101 show.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Yibo had first approached him about doing the show, knowing Zitao was involved had been a large part of the draw. Xiao Zhan had been a huge fan of EXO when they debuted, and he’d been excited to meet and work with Zitao. When he’d gotten to set and realized how overtly </span>
  <em>
    <span>open</span>
  </em>
  <span> the man was, Xiao Zhan had even briefly wondered if he might manage to live out one of his teenage dreams by way of a one-night stand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Until he realized the man was definitely after Wang Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zitao had chosen a seat directly across from their young cast mate, and had made absolutely zero attempt to keep his flirting from being obvious. Seated next to Yibo, Xiao Zhan had a front-row seat to Zitao’s constant demand of Yibo’s attention, and every smoldering stare and reach across the table to touch Yibo’s hand stabbed tiny knives into Xiao Zhan’s stomach. His hand curled into a fist on his lap, a desperate attempt to prevent himself from stabbing a chopstick into the top of Zitao’s hand the next time it snaked its way into Yibo’s space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was worse, Xiao Zhan couldn’t tell if Yibo was oblivious or playing into it. As Zitao flirted with him, Yibo just smiled and laughed along, which Zitao seemed to interpret as encouragement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s blood </span>
  <em>
    <span>boiled.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was jealous — he knew he was, but he had no right to be. No matter what interest Yibo may have implied, their only romance was on screen, and Xiao Zhan was determined to keep it that way. Yet something must have shown on his face, because Zitao stopped his pursuit for a moment and gave him a curious look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You guys aren’t…?” Zitao looked back and forth between him and Yibo, even going so far as to point a finger to make the question more obvious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no!” Yibo answered immediately, looking nervously at Xiao Zhan before focusing his attention back across the table. “Zhan-ge and I are just friends.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the truth, but it twisted like a hot coil in his stomach when a glint shined in Zitao’s eyes at the answer. It reminded Xiao Zhan too much of a snake preparing to strike. His every impulse was to throw himself in front of Yibo to protect him from the inevitable predatory attack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zitao refilled Yibo’s glass from the pitcher of beer on the table with a smile. “Well, that’s nice. It’s always good to have more friends in the business, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan gave him a careful smile in answer then asked him about a new project he’d mentioned in passing earlier. Over the next hour as the table chatted about various topics, Xiao Zhan watched helplessly as Zitao surreptitiously plied Yibo with more and more alcohol, ensuring his glass was never empty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no way he could just sit idly by and do nothing as the young man was taken advantage of, but what could he do? Yibo didn’t seem drunk or opposed to the attention Zitao was throwing him, but Xiao Zhan also didn’t know if the young man could see what was coming. Because Xiao Zhan could </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> read what the end game was here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he honestly wasn’t sure if he could handle watching it happen right in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The solution he concocted was completely asinine and juvenile, but he had few other options left at his disposal at that point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Xiao Zhan started drinking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been careful before, only having a little alcohol with the meal to be social, because he was well aware his tolerance was shit and he’d be paying for it the next day. He couldn’t afford to have a hangover when he needed to perform. But also couldn’t just sit there and watch his co-star get pawed at like a piece of meat. So he stole Yibo’s beer and indulged, promising himself he would stop as soon as a little buzz kicked in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could act his way through the rest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately, he had been working so much over the last few months and it had been so long since he’d had a drink, Xiao Zhan’s tolerance was even worse than he thought. One beer in and he was past the point of “slightly feeling it” and on to “leaning heavily against Yibo’s shoulder for support” territory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gathering was beginning to break up, everyone standing up to leave and get some rest before the performances the following day. Zitao was discussing the sample he’d just gotten of a new graphic novel he’d started developing recently and proposed Yibo should come by his room for a bit to take a look and provide feedback on it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The suggestive look in his eye, however, made clear he was hoping for more from Yibo than just his opinion on a new business venture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan stumbled a bit getting up from his seat, not necessarily from imbalance but more in surprise that the rapper would be so bold. Luckily, Yibo was still beside him and reached out to steady Xiao Zhan just as he always did on set, as if his impeccable muscle memory now included saving his klutz of a co-star from constant doom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge, are you drunk?” he asked, looking Xiao Zhan over with a critical eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no,” Xiao Zhan asserted with a shy smile, glad that Yibo was falling into his farce more easily than he’d expected. The young man’s hand was still supporting his arm, as if Xiao Zhan might fall over if left unattended. “But I probably should get to my room and get some sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll just go with you,” Yibo said. His eyes were soft with concern, still sliding over Xiao Zhan’s form with a careful eye as if he might collapse at any moment. He spared a glance for Huang Zitao as he stepped into his usual place at Xiao Zhan’s side. “I’ll catch you later, Z.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you just come to my room once the old man goes to bed?” Zitao advised with a laugh, obviously not willing to be thrown off so easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo chuckled, and Xiao Zhan forced a giggle while internally plotting the man’s murder. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He and Zitao were basically the same age for fuck’s sake.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, fine,” Yibo agreed before nudging Xiao Zhan toward the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan made a show of leaning on the wall as the elevator door closed, and then may have leaned a little more than necessary on Yibo as they made their way down the hallway to his room. He fumbled with his room key until Yibo took it away and got the door open himself and thanked his lucky stars that channeling Wei Wuxian in his “damsel in distress” mode had become second nature to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lan er-gege, my hero,” he couldn’t help but giggle helplessly as Yibo followed him into the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ok, so maybe he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a little drunk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not my name.” Xiao Zhan turned to see Yibo standing by the door, arms crossed over his chest and obviously perturbed. Xiao Zhan was in no state to determine if his expression was more angry or disappointed, but he knew he couldn’t stand to see it on Yibo’s face a moment longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m just kidding, Bo-di,” Xiao Zhan said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo looked at him seriously, those gorgeous eyes staring into his soul. Knees suddenly weak, Xiao Zhan dropped roughly to the bed, bouncing on his butt once before falling flat onto his back. His eyes wandered over the swirled pattern in the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s feet shuffled toward the door. “Ok, Zhan-ge, I’ll see you tomorrow. Tao-ge is waiting for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s brain clicked like a car that wouldn’t start before remembering there was something he was supposed to be doing about Yibo. What was it? Oh — keeping him out of Zitao’s clutches.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Xiao Zhan practically shouted, bolting back up to a sitting position on the bed. The room spun slightly, but he ignored it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s brows were knitted together in confusion. “No?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan scrambled desperately for a game plan, but only one very dangerous play came to mind. It would be courting temptation, but he had no choice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reaching out with grabby hands toward Yibo as he kicked off his shoes and pushed himself farther onto the bed on his back, Xiao Zhan summoned his best pout and whimpered, “Stay with me for a while? Just until I fall asleep?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was dirty pool. He knew Yibo had a thing for him, and he was definitely taking advantage of it and playing on his emotions, but Xiao Zhan convinced himself he was a safer companion for the young man than the one that was waiting for him down the hall. At least </span>
  <b>he</b>
  <span> wouldn’t let anything happen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Probably.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s eyes held that soft look again. “Fine. You’re not going to sleep like that, are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like what?” Xiao Zhan asked, his voice slurring slightly. Now that his head hit the pillow, he was actually feeling a little tired. Alcohol always did knock him out pretty quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need help getting out of your clothes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s eyes flew open, easily finding Yibo’s smirk. He was leaning onto the bed with his hands on the mattress, bringing his face dangerously close to Xiao Zhan’s personal space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly Xiao Zhan wondered if he’d gotten the predator in the scenario all wrong. His expression must have been ridiculous, because Yibo burst into laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not stealing your virtue, Zhan-ge,” he said through harsh breaths of his deep, throaty cackling. “Just take your pants off, at least.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, he had a point,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan thought. It’s not like they hadn’t shared a room before. It was stupid to think he couldn’t be comfortable with Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He quickly unbuttoned his pants and slid them off, kicking them off his long legs and onto the floor at the end of the bed. He grappled with his shirt as well, feeling warm from the buzz of the alcohol, and wanting the cool sheets on his skin instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With Yibo’s assistance, the shirt came off, and he was left in just his boxers as the sheets were pulled over him. He snuggled his face against the pillow like a cat settling into a warm spot and instinctively reached out to find Yibo. With his brain slightly buzzed and sleepy, Xiao Zhan wasn’t even fully aware of what he was doing, but he’d become so used to Yibo’s proximity from their scenes together on set that gripping Yibo’s wrist (or arm or hand) to pull him close had become completely normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The younger man laid down next to him, staying atop the sheets to maintain some distance. But Xiao Zhan quickly crowded against him, shifting himself until his face was settled against the slightly stubbled surface of Yibo’s neck. He ran his nose gently against the skin, breathing in Yibo’s distinct scent, and his mind calmed immediately. His tongue slid out to wet his lips, but they were so close that his tongue also grazed gently along Yibo’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through a haze of sleep, he felt the young man’s body stiffened, Yibo’s breath catching in his throat with a squeaky sound before he shifted to put more space between them. Xiao Zhan’s hand ran down the length of Yibo’s arm, finding his hand and gripping it in his own. He pulled it up between them, nuzzling the side of Yibo’s large hand with his face the way his cat did when demanding attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What am I going to do with you, Xiao Zhan?” He felt a hand carding gently through his hair, and as he drifted into sleep, the sweet voice whispered, “I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life. If only you’d just let me keep you.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Admit it, you thought he'd get naked and jump him, didn't you? :D</p>
<p>I love comments and feedback! Let me know what you think and please leave kudos if you're reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Produce 101</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yibo looks out for Xiao Zhan during his guest spot on Produce 101, and Xiao Zhan continues to resist his growing feelings.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>A warm flush burst to life in his chest at the idea of Yibo taking care of him. Most people wouldn’t consider Wang Yibo to be such a thoughtful person, but he was often that way with Xiao Zhan. He always seemed to find little ways to be caring, like providing him with the green tea yesterday. </p>
  <p>He smiled, thinking of Yibo going to all the trouble to make sure he woke up on time and had what he needed to function. My sweet boy… </p>
  <p>NO, no, Xiao Zhan reminded himself, shaking his head as the fog in his head cleared. Not mine. </p>
  <p>That was a dangerous thought. Much too dangerous.<br/></p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to Tee for beta reading! And thanks to those of you who are following this story and leaving comments to spur me on :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning, Xiao Zhan woke up alone in a strange hotel room to the sound of his phone alarm. The dull headache pulsing behind his eyes only made his already poor vision more blurry as he struggled to find his phone and shut off the offensive noise. It took him a moment to remember where he was and what he was doing there. Then his nose caught the scent of Yibo’s cologne on his pillow, reminding him that he hadn’t been alone when he’d gone to sleep. But when he sat up and looked around, it was clear that Yibo was gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a second he panicked, wondering if something had happened between them. But no, he was still in his boxers and everything in that department seemed to be in order — including a slight erection that was only getting worse as images of Yibo in his bed the night before began to unfurl in his muddled brain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh my god,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What was I thinking?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He really hoped that when Yibo left last night he hadn’t found his way to Zitao’s room after all. It would be horrible if he’d acted like a fool for nothing. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter because it wasn’t his business. Yibo was perfectly free to do whatever he wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>with</span>
  </em>
  <span> whoever he wanted. He was in no position to have an opinion on the man’s personal life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least not that Yibo could know about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he was kicking himself for doing something as stupid as drinking when he had to perform today, his eyes fell on a bottle of water and a small packet of aspirin left next to his glasses on the bedside table. It was like a priceless gift had been left by a magical fairy to cure him of his pains.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had no idea where or when Yibo had scrounged up the medicine, but Xiao Zhan was eternally grateful for the gesture. It was incredibly sweet, especially given what an annoyance he’d been to the younger man the previous night. Popping the pills in his mouth and swallowing them with half the bottle of water, Xiao Zhan realized Yibo must have been the one to set his alarm as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A warm flush burst to life in his chest at the idea of Yibo taking care of him. Most people wouldn’t consider Wang Yibo to be such a thoughtful person, but he was often that way with Xiao Zhan. He always seemed to find little ways to be caring, like providing him with the green tea yesterday. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled, thinking of Yibo going to all the trouble to make sure he woke up on time and had what he needed to function. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My sweet boy…</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>NO, no,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan reminded himself, shaking his head as the fog in his head cleared. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>mine</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a dangerous thought. Much too dangerous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the knowledge of what he couldn’t have didn’t quell his uplifted mood as he got up to head into the shower. Nor did it prevent him from conjuring a vision in his mind of Yibo, and using the memory of large hands on his skin to fill in for his own as Xiao Zhan stroked himself to a release that sprayed against the shower wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He leaned against the opposite wall with a gasp to catch his breath, reminding himself everything was fine. He could handle his crush as long as he didn’t let anything actually happen between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do it. Even slightly inebriated and mostly naked with Yibo beside him in </span>
  <em>
    <span>bed </span>
  </em>
  <span>last night, he’d managed to avoid doing something that would ruin their friendship. Of course, he’d fallen asleep pretty quickly, which made the task much easier, but that was beside the point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After cleaning both himself and the shower, he made a mental note to think of some way to repay Yibo’s incredible kindness during the show taping. Xiao Zhan wouldn’t have even been here without him, and the man had gone above and beyond the call of friendship over the last few days.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>******</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The afternoon had been a whirlwind of dress rehearsals and show prep, and Xiao Zhan was glad he’d grabbed something to eat from the hotel before heading to the set. He’d only been trying to settle his stomach, but at the pace things were going, he would either be too busy or too nervous to try to eat anything later. He hoped Yibo was too overwhelmed with preparing for his own stage to notice — his friend had become like a nagging mother lately on their own set, constantly making sure he ate something and took care of himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During their pre-show run through on the stage, Xiao Zhan had some problems with the monitor he’d been given to use, and was trying to get one of the crew to help him make adjustments. Yibo must have been watching their rehearsal off-stage, because he popped into view from nowhere, startling Xiao Zhan and making him jump.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo just laughed at him and took the monitor out of Xiao Zhan’s hands to examine it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t you bring your own earpiece?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan looked at him quizzically. “My own?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a singer!” Yibo said with a laugh. “You must have your own monitor equipment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He said it so matter-of-factly, as if the idea that he wouldn’t have his own gear was ridiculous, that Xiao Zhan felt completely unprofessional and ill-prepared. When he performed with X-Nine, he had always just relied on his team to provide whatever was needed. They had never even bothered to teach him </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> to use the earpiece and monitor, so he was mostly at a loss with the equipment, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan was reminded once again that although he was much older, Yibo was without a doubt the more professional performer, with a depth of experience that Xiao Zhan could only dream of. Both jealousy and awe tore through him at the thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have my own,” Xiao Zhan said quietly, suddenly feeling out of place. “I’ve never even thought about it. I just used whatever they gave me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He fiddled with the zipper of his black and white tracksuit, avoiding what he was sure would be disappointment and pity in Yibo’s eyes. Even though he was often one of the older people on a set, situations like this too often made him feel naïve and out of his element.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, just take mine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan glanced up to see Yibo slipping off one of the green earpieces which dangled around his neck, disconnecting it from the monitor in his pocket and holding it out in offering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yibo! I couldn’t,” he argued, eyes wide in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The standard stuff they give the girls to use is shit,” Yibo said, ignoring his denial. “And I really only need one side, anyway. Just take it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yibo…” he tried to refuse again, but the man had already connected it to the monitor Xiao Zhan had been using, fiddled with the adjustments, and pressed the equipment back into his hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Use it,” Yibo demanded, his voice was serious but his eyes were soft and reassuring. “This crowd gets really loud, and when you’re performing with all those girls, you’ve got to be able to hear your own pitch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re always saving me, you know?” Xiao Zhan pointed out with a smile. The young man really was like Lan Zhan, ever willing to sacrifice and give of himself if he could help his Wei Wuxian. “Thanks, Bo-di.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any time,” Yibo replied, shooting him a wicked grin that made Xiao Zhan’s pulse jump.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched as Yibo turned around and strolled to the side of the stage, unable to tear his eyes away from the strong shoulders and cute little butt swaggering out of view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’d seen Yibo with his hair and makeup done on a daily basis, coiffed into the perfection of Lan Wangji. He had also seen pictures, of course, from Yibo’s many modeling jobs and appearances, either sent by the man himself or sought out online in moments of his own weakness. But this was the first time he’d seen Yibo in performance mode in person, made up like the talented pop idol he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stylists had added burgundy highlights to his brown hair the day before, and for the show it was gelled and sculpted into a perfectly tousled mop, as if he’d just rolled out of bed. Xiao Zhan found it funny, because he knew for a fact Yibo’s hair actually stuck up much more and at odd angles first thing in the morning. The red shadow they used complimented the hair color and drew attention to his beautiful eyes. There was a natural tone smoothed over his lips, giving them just a bit of shine, and making them look even more kissable than normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked… </span>
  <em>
    <span>so good.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The loose, flowing shirt Yibo wore had a red heart pattern that coordinated with the reddish tint of his hair and makeup, and the black jeans, skin-tight against the curve of his muscular thighs, had rips in the knees where the pale skin peeked through like a tease as he moved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was sex on two very attractive legs, and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>doing things</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Xiao Zhan. If he hadn’t already been a somewhat nervous wreck about his quickly approaching performance, his libido would have been a holy terror to deal with on its own. Unfortunately, the anxiousness combined with an undercurrent of arousal was making him a jittery mess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan watched the beginning of the show from backstage while distracting himself by joking with the girls to keep them relaxed and ready for their own performance. He had a job to do, and he couldn’t let Wang Yibo's presence divert his focus. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he let the girls down because he didn’t give his best.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the end, it went well. When he hit the stage, he was relieved to find that Yibo wasn’t sitting at the coaches’ table, but instead had gone backstage to change and get ready for his own performance. It took a little of the pressure off, knowing that he didn’t need to worry about impressing him or hearing the honest critique Yibo would have surely given him afterwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were finished with their stage, Xiao Zhan went back to their assigned prep room with the girls to decompress and review their performance. Most of the girls already spent a great deal of time criticizing themselves, and others, for minor errors, so Xiao Zhan gave them all positive feedback and reassurance. He’d experienced first hand how tough these competition shows were — the last thing they needed was negativity from a guy who’d be gone by tomorrow. A few of the contestants watched the group that came after them, but Xiao Zhan got sidetracked by a conversation with a few of the others and missed most of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before long, the large screen in their room announced that Yibo’s group was up next, and everyone in the room hushed into silence. Xiao Zhan chuckled to himself, thinking how clearly biased all the girls were toward Wang Yibo. It didn’t matter how tough on them he was, or how critical his feedback, most of them would still gladly fall at Yibo’s feet and worship him like a god.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After becoming familiar with the man’s personality and talent as well as seeing him perform, Xiao Zhan could hardly blame them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wang Yibo was a powerhouse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The song his group was performing was bright and very peppy. It was more “cute” than musical, and Xiao Zhan was a little surprised Yibo hadn’t chosen the song Xiao Zhan’s group did, which at least had included a rap segment. This song was sugary pop at its finest, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> much a girlish staging.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But, of course, Yibo put his own spin on it and embraced the stage as his own. Before the music even began, he started the show by wearing his motorcycle gloves and placing his helmet on his head, then playing with the turntable set up in front of him like a Daft Punk DJ.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the intro, Yibo disappeared for a while, letting the audience’s attention focus on the girls, and then he reappeared, dancing among them at center stage. The bright red suit he wore looked amazing, blending in perfectly with the outfits of the girls around him while also making him glow like a beacon under the stage lights. His movements were fluid and perfectly in sync, and Xiao Zhan could tell that although the girls were the contestants, every eye in the room was drawn to Yibo like a magnet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was brilliant and beautiful. A star shining brighter than anyone else. Like something too perfect to touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the show came to a close, Zitao tried to convince Yibo to give the audience a bonus dance to the theme song. A private look of silent communication passed between them, and a spike of concern stabbed into Xiao Zhan’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just how close </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>were</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> the two men? Had Yibo left him last night to go hook up with Zitao after all? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He swallowed the panicking thought and hoped the cameras weren’t focused on his expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo resisted but eventually played along, thinking Zitao was going to dance with him, then got flustered when he realized he’d been left on his own. For a moment, Xiao Zhan considered stepping out front to give him some moral support, but he didn’t know all the moves. Plus, they’d been given the directive to pretend they weren’t familiar with each other, since the </span>
  <em>
    <span>A-Ling</span>
  </em>
  <span> project was still being kept quiet, and they’d done a good job of it on camera so far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like the consummate professional he was, Yibo performed the signature dance, and the crowd adored it. From the corner of his eye, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but notice the look of appreciation on Zitao’s face as well. His face fell into a frown but then he quickly shook off the jealousy and refocused on Yibo, cheering him on and singing along to the show’s theme.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was sure the image of the amazing man in red and his bright smile would be burned into his memory forever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not long after the wrap, he and Yibo collected their things and piled into a van that would be making the late night drive back to Hengdian. While Yibo’s call time to set the following day wasn’t until the afternoon, Xiao Zhan knew he himself had an early start and was dreading the lack of sleep involved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been worth it though, to experience an idol show from the other side. And to get to see Wang Yibo completely in his element.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, you’re one of the few people who’s never asked me why I’m here,” Xiao Zhan commented. “Everybody always wants to know why I quit my normal job for the entertainment business. But not you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I just assumed you were doing it for the same reason as the rest of us,” Yibo answered as he examined something on his phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo stared at him with wide, honest eyes and said bluntly, “You’re an attention whore with a ton of talent.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan burst into laughter, so overcome he keeled over and his stomach ached. He wanted to be insulted, but he should have expected Yibo to state the obvious so plainly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He should have left it there, but Yibo’s description brought someone else directly to mind, and the curiosity was too much to resist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, Tao-laoshi is really something, mn?” Xiao Zhan said in a desperate attempt at being casual.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s cool,” Yibo commented, looking away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan couldn’t tell if it was disinterest or avoidance, so he pressed on. “You two are close, right? How long have you… ?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t bring himself to ask the question that he really wanted to know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Close? No, not really,” Yibo answered, completely missing his implied meaning. “We’ve known each other for a while and run into each other at a lot of the same events, but this is the first time we’ve worked together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I mean…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Didn’t you go to his room last night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo stared at him, one eyebrow quirked in question. “No, I was taking care of your drunk ass. Remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Xiao Zhan blinked, trying to keep himself from internally celebrating at the news. “I thought…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You thought what?” Yibo’s eyes had narrowed, all humor gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan swallowed. “He wanted you to… Well, I think you know what he wants.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At his meaningful expression, Yibo’s mouth dropped open a bit in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tao-ge? Really?” Yibo questioned, then laughed when Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes. “Ok, yeah, I see it. But that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> happening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” Xiao Zhan asked and then immediately wished he hadn’t. His mouth was giving away all of his interest in Yibo’s private life, and his co-star definitely noticed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not my type at all,” Yibo answered with a smug air, turning those dark eyes on Xiao Zhan with purpose. “He’s too short. And a little too full of himself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ignoring the pointed comment, and the fact that his tendency to tower over Yibo caused issues for their framing in scenes on a daily basis, he shot back with a wide smile, “I can see where that would be difficult. Your ego is already big enough for two people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge! I’m hurt!” Yibo said with mock offense. His hand came up to his chest dramatically but a playful grin broke over his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They continued to chat idly for a while about meaningless topics before settling into silence, and Xiao Zhan found himself succumbing to the exhaustion that was finally settling in after such a long day. He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep until a rough bump in the road jolted him awake. When his consciousness came back online, he found his head lying comfortably on Yibo’s chest and a strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, keeping him warm. He was tempted to pretend he was still asleep, just to be able to stay snuggled up next to Yibo when he was awake enough to enjoy it, but he’d already squirmed too much to feign sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo was still awake, holding his phone with his free hand. The other was settled over Xiao Zhan’s arm, his long fingers gently stroking at the fabric of the jacket sleeve.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Lao Wang,” he said as he pushed himself gently away from Yibo’s body and into a sitting position. “You should have just shoved me off to the other side!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo looked up from his phone, the glow of the screen lighting up his face with a dull greenish light in the dark of the vehicle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t mind,” Yibo said quietly, his voice slightly rough from the performance earlier and the late hour. “You can use me as a pillow any time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His meaning was crystal clear, his eyes red-rimmed and tired, but shining in a way that didn’t come from the dim light of the street lamps flashing by outside the window. For probably the thousandth time since they’d met and began working together, Xiao Zhan wanted to kiss his pouty lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sound at the front of the vehicle caught his attention, and Xiao Zhan’s gaze shifted to the driver, reminding him they weren’t alone. Somehow, with Yibo, he was always forgetting that. The rest of the world too often faded away when he was trapped in the gaze of those dark, arresting eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan was saved from a response as the van began to slow down and the lights of their hotel came into view. He couldn’t help wondering how much longer Yibo would continue to press at the edges of whatever it was they were doing — and whether he would be able to deny him if he did.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A few links for those interested in the Produce 101 episode referenced:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGG-V2BEmc">full episode</a> - no eng subs available (that I know of)</p>
<p>And the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxeeip91bg">post episode outtake</a> of Yibo dancing to the theme song</p>
<p>Another key note: Xiao Zhan really DID use Yibo's earpiece for his performance in the show - even though on screen it appeared they didn't know each other ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yibo convinces Xiao Zhan to go out to dinner with him:</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>Standing outside the restaurant with his soft brown hair flopping across his forehead and that gorgeous crooked smile lighting up his face when his eyes landed on him, the boy was so cute Xiao Zhan’s stomach felt like there was a fish flipping around inside. The nervous flutter in his chest said he had to be the luckiest man in China right now… while his brain told him this might very well have been the stupidest thing he’d ever done in his life. </p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to Tee for the beta read!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The 18th of June was the Dragon Boat Festival, and though they had some filming and promotional shots to do in the morning, the day was cut short and the cast was released early for once. Xiao Zhan had the following day off, a true gift considering the pace and schedule he’d been keeping for the last few months, and he planned to do absolutely nothing but maybe read something that wasn’t a script for once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wang Yibo, of course, threw a wrench in his plans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He spent the entire morning pestering Xiao Zhan to go out, convincing him that it was the perfect day for it. Since it was a holiday, and with Xiao Zhan having the following day off, he wouldn’t have to worry about looking puffy on camera and could indulge for once. Unable to come up with any good arguments — or ever say no to Yibo — Xiao Zhan found himself later that night meeting up with the younger man at the restaurant he’d been texted about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was very nice, simple but tastefully decorated, and definitely more high end than the relaxed atmosphere Xiao Zhan had been expecting. For a moment he wondered if he should have worn something a little nicer than the black t-shirt and shorts he’d thrown on after getting cleaned up in the afternoon, but he relaxed when Yibo came into view. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His co-star looked like he’d just thrown on whatever combination of clothing had fallen out of his suitcase — but Xiao Zhan knew better. He’d learned by now how much Yibo cared about his appearance, and he would bet the younger man spent much more time on the carefree look than he appeared. The oversized grey striped pants and white graphic t-shirt with short-sleeve black button down thrown over the top all probably cost more than Xiao Zhan even dared to guess at. It shouldn’t have worked, yet somehow on Yibo it all came together, and he looked good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, Yibo </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And standing outside the restaurant with his soft brown hair flopping across his forehead and that gorgeous crooked smile lighting up his face when his eyes landed on him, the boy was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan’s stomach felt like there was a fish flipping around inside. The nervous flutter in his chest said he had to be the luckiest man in China right now… while his brain told him this might very well have been the stupidest thing he’d ever done in his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you managed to get us a table tonight,” he commented as he held out his hand for Yibo to take in greeting, his heart speeding up when the man’s large hand held his for just a few seconds longer than really necessary. With a bright smile, he joked, “This place is packed! It must be convenient to be a famous TV star.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rare look of chagrin came over Yibo’s face. “Ah, it’s not like that. Wang Cheng really gets the credit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah?” Xiao Zhan asked, glancing behind Yibo to where his assistant was chatting with YiYi, the girl who’d been assigned as Xiao Zhan’s P.A. for the duration of the shoot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had Cheng-ge come a couple of hours ago to make sure we’d get in,” Yibo explained, as if having the guy who kept track of him on set spend half his afternoon waiting around for a table at a restaurant was a completely reasonable thing to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo!” he exclaimed, his voice stretching into a whine. “I can’t believe you did that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo shrugged and gestured toward Wang Cheng. “He didn’t mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s mouth dropped open to apologize, but Wang Cheng cut him off with a wave. “It’s fine, ZhanZhan. Really. It was no problem.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since the young man didn’t seem bothered in the slightest, and actually looked quite happy about the whole situation, Xiao Zhan could only thank him and assume Yibo wasn’t abusing his assistant’s good nature.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were soon shown to their table, and when their assistants joined them, Xiao Zhan finally began to relax. It wasn’t a date — it was just a casual dinner with friends. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> he could do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was much easier to sit facing the ridiculously handsome man across from him with YiYi by his side and Wang Cheng watching Xiao Zhan from the corner of his eye. He wasn’t sure exactly how well Yibo had gotten to know his assistant, but Xiao Zhan got the feeling the young man could tell exactly what sparks had been flying between the two project leads. And he also got the impression Wang Cheng didn’t trust him not to hurt Yibo and royally screw up the show in the process.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dating a co-worker was always a risky business, though in some cases with actors it certainly had its advantages. Hell, if one of them were a girl, the two of them hooking up on set might have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>encouraged</span>
  </em>
  <span> to help the on-screen dynamic and fuel gossip and anticipation for the show.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why am I even thinking about this?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan berated himself as Wang Cheng and YiYi playfully bickered with each other. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t do this. I can’t.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dinner was a relaxed affair as the four of them ate and chatted for over an hour, gossiping about other cast and crew members, and sharing stories from other jobs they’d had. It was hard to believe they were already over halfway through with filming. He’d already gotten so close with so many of the people he’d been working with on the show, it would be hard to part with them in another couple of months. YiYi, in particular, had been great to work with, putting up with his and Yibo’s antics on set and always willing to help him in any way she could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan wished he could afford to hire her as his personal assistant full time, but there was no way he could arrange it without the assistance of his management company, and they had been extremely unhelpful since the start of the year. Thinking about that set of issues only gave Xiao Zhan a headache though, so he quickly pushed it out of his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In his distraction, he hadn’t noticed YiYi and Wang Cheng getting ready to leave. He looked up to see them standing by the table and saying their farewells.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re leaving already?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, we’re going to go catch a movie,” Wang Cheng answered, then glanced over at Yibo. “You guys are good to get back to the hotel, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep, I’ve got it covered,” Yibo assured him, shaking the phone in his hand. “You two kids have fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His smirk was met by a shy smile from his assistant and a little wave from YiYi before they made their way to the exit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan felt like he’d missed some information somewhere and narrowed his eyes at Yibo in question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait…” he said, finally making sense of the silent communication that passed between the two younger men. “Is that why Wang Cheng was so willing to help you tonight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo nodded. “He’s had a thing for YiYi for a while now. I told him we could double up so it wasn’t such a big deal, just as long as he made sure we got some time alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His gaze was slightly hungry, predatory, and Xiao Zhan’s body flushed with warmth as if he’d been put under a heat lamp. Suddenly, he understood how a rabbit felt when trapped in a fox’s stare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan swallowed hard, willing his voice not to wobble with nerves when he asked, “And why is that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo wasn’t flustered at all, his eyes still and steady, reminding Xiao Zhan of Hanguan Jun. “Zhan-ge is really smart. Very, very smart. Does he really need me to say it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crooked grin, the confidence… the slightly wicked look in his eye — it was all hammering at the thread of willpower Xiao Zhan had been desperately clinging to for weeks. His pulse raced, and he was sure he’d begun to sweat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting hit with that level of charm from Wang Yibo could be dangerous for a man’s heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck. Fuck, this was a bad idea.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Everything had been fine until five minutes ago. Before Yibo admitted this was definitely a date and started looking at him like he wanted to eat </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> for dessert.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Xiao Zhan’s traitorous brain began imagining what that would be like.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scrambling for a distraction, Xiao Zhan commented, “Maybe you just wanted them to leave so you could have my attention all to yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Was he flirting? He was definitely flirting. What the hell was he doing? His brain and his mouth were no longer communicating, and he was pretty sure his dick had taken over the controls. It certainly seemed to be doing the thinking for him at this point, which almost never fared well in the long run.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Zhan-ge</span>
  </em>
  <span> is the one who likes the attention,” Yibo said with a smirk. “You act like you don’t, but you love to be told how handsome you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop,” Xiao Zhan argued, looking away in embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo went on as if he hadn’t even spoken. “But what really gets you off is when someone tells you you’re beautiful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan looked up in surprise. They weren’t on set, or doing an interview. There was no reason for him to be throwing compliments at him like they were candy. “Yibo, stop, that’s —”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are, you know. You’re so beautiful.” Yibo’s voice was raspy and breathless, ringing with sincerity. His beautiful brown eyes gazed at Xiao Zhan with more emotion than he’d ever seen, even when utilized as his only tool in his role as Lan Zhan. “You’re the most lovely thing I’ve ever seen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yibo…” Xiao Zhan couldn’t breathe, his insides twisted up with want and conflict and SO MANY feelings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like you, Zhan-ge,” Yibo admitted, his deep voice straightforward and honest. Any nerves he had were barely noticeable, and the vertical bobbing of his prominent Adam’s apple as he swallowed was the only visual indication that he wasn’t the calm rock he appeared to be. “I like you a lot. You already know that, though. And I think you like me, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>My god, he was brave, this boy. Skateboards and motorcycles and whatever other adrenalin rush he could find were no match for Wang Yibo. But Xiao Zhan had no idea his courage extended this far — to be able to just admit his feelings out loud like this, with no fear of the consequences. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s heart raced, nerves and excitement warring within his chest. He knew they would get to this point, somehow. It was inevitable, with all the flirting and playing around they did on set every day — and he knew he was just as much to blame for it as Yibo. Possibly more so, really. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just couldn’t help it, though. Xiao Zhan was a natural flirt indiscriminate of gender, and Wei Wuxian was the same only worse. For the last month he’d felt as if he had enough sexual energy stored in his body he could probably power all of Hengdian if he plugged his dick into a socket. And no amount of taking matters literally into his own hands seemed to quell it, because the moment he left his room, he was once again faced with the man who was fueling his thirst both on and off camera.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet now, as much as he wanted to grab Yibo’s large hand where it rested on the table as if waiting for Xiao Zhan to take hold, he couldn’t. They were right at the midpoint of filming, with two months left to go. They were friends now, good friends, and if feelings got involved and screwed things up, their chemistry might be ruined — and with it, the whole production.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo waited for a response, patient for once, with big puppy eyes that looked half hopeful but simultaneously prepared for the worst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fact that he seemed to be prepared for what was coming only made it easier for Xiao Zhan to let him down easy. He gave him a soft smile. </span>
  <span>“I’m sure there are plenty of people your own age who are much better for you, Bo-di.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably,” Yibo replied with a forced laugh, determined to save face. “But I think I’d be better off with an old guy who can keep me in line.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, lucky for you to have so many geges on your show, right?” Xiao Zhan pointed out, swiftly changing the subject. “You were just filming with them a few days ago. Was the topic anything interesting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s expression dropped, his mouth pinched for a moment, and Xiao Zhan immediately felt horrible for putting the look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it couldn’t be helped. He’d thought about it — and thought about it and thought about it until it kept him up at night. It didn’t matter how much he wanted Wang Yibo or how interested the younger man might be in him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had a job to do. And that took priority over what either of them wanted for their personal lives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s expression was resigned when he finally answered, delving into a long story about the show they had filmed last week, and how one of the guests was a girl he’d filmed a drama with previously. Xiao Zhan prompted him with questions, ignoring the awkwardness he’d created between them when their conversation became more like two acquaintances than the close friends they’d become over the last few months. Not long after, Xiao Zhan couldn’t stand the tension and suggested they leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d argued with Yibo over the bill, eventually losing to the young man’s stubbornness, but their bickering was at least comfortable like normal. Although still on edge, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but be relieved that Yibo didn’t seem bothered by his rejection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps the man was more mature than he’d given him credit for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo had arranged for a car to come pick them up, but it was running behind and they had to wait for a few minutes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My flight’s not leaving too early tomorrow, and I know you don’t have to work,” Yibo said as they stood alone outside the restaurant. “Do you want to hang out and play games or something when we get back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Yibo…” After what had essentially been a date, it seemed like spending time in a small room together was a bad plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo frowned at him with a dark look in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are we not still friends? I was honest with you, but don’t let it be weird between us now. Please, Ge. I get it — and I won’t make it a problem for you,” Yibo said, his eyes pleading. He sounded fine as he made his arguments, but Yibo was too good of an actor for Xiao Zhan to know if he was really hurt and just hiding it. He continued, “It’s not like I’ve never been rejected before. It’s fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Who in the world was fucking dumb enough to reject </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>Wang Yibo</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Xiao Zhan immediately wondered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OH.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>SHIT.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell was wrong with him?</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p><a href="https://twitter.com/BjyxObsessed/status/1273438727977742336?s=20">My own personal head canon</a> is that 6/18/2018 was their <a href="https://twitter.com/npcturtle/status/1266398958919680001?s=20">first date</a>... So I took that and ran with it :)</p>
<p>Well, Yibo's got him thoroughly twisted up in his underwear :D  What do you think will happen next? Is he FINALLY going to stop fighting this? I love comments!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Tumble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Xiao Zhan finally gives in...</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>Xiao Zhan had suspected Yibo’s feelings before — he’d had little doubt about how the man felt — but now there was no longer any question. Yibo had swept away all uncertainty and laid his feelings bare, leaving no room for ambiguity or excuses.</p>
  <p>He could have Yibo, if he wanted him.</p>
  <p>And god, did he WANT.<br/></p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I feel like this story so far has been a lit firework with a long fuse - just waiting to go off ;)</p>
<p>Note the new tags! This fic is about to earn its rating…</p>
<p>Thanks to Tee for the quick beta read!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ride back to the hotel was quiet, neither of them interested in breaking the truce they’d fallen into. Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but overthink the situation during the entire drive back. Even just sitting next to Yibo in the van, there was a buzz under his skin, a zip of electric attraction running through him that was impossible to ignore. The yearning to reach out and touch the young man in some way was worse than it had ever been before, and it took him a moment to figure out why.</p>
<p>It was because now he <em> knew. </em></p>
<p>Xiao Zhan had suspected Yibo’s feelings before — he’d had little doubt about how the man felt — but now there was no longer any question. Yibo had swept away all uncertainty and laid his feelings bare, leaving no room for ambiguity or excuses.</p>
<p>He could have Yibo, if he wanted him.</p>
<p>And god, did he <em> WANT. </em></p>
<p>Could he really make it through another two months of working so closely with this man without giving in to temptation? He’d barely managed it so far. Even if Yibo backed off and stopped flirting with him, Xiao Zhan would never be able to restrain his own behavior. He <em> couldn’t, </em> as Wei Ying, even if he wanted to. He knew there were still plenty of scenes left to film that involved throwing himself, physically or otherwise, into Lan Zhan’s waiting arms.</p>
<p>Xiao Zhan’s gaze landed on Yibo, his head down and face serious as he looked at something on his phone. His eyes roamed over the cut of his jaw, down along the curve of his bicep to a strong, pale forearm and on to the large hand that made the phone held there look incredibly small.</p>
<p>He wondered if Yibo knew what to do with those hands… </p>
<p>The man was young, but he was nearly twenty-one, and had been around the entertainment industry long enough to have some experience. He certainly didn’t come across as a delicate virgin — not with the way he talked. And with a cast made up predominantly of men, there was plenty of crude talk to go around.</p>
<p>Why was he even resisting this? Yibo was a grown man, attractive and fun — and Xiao Zhan <em> liked </em> him. More than he wanted to admit. Why couldn’t they do what they both wanted? It didn’t have to be serious. They could have a good time for the summer and then go their separate ways. If their involvement was limited, there would be no risk to either of their careers, and it would be natural for them to move on to other things and other people when filming ended.</p>
<p>The thought of finally getting laid after an <em> extremely </em> long dry spell — his own choice because he refused to do something stupid like take advantage of a fan or get involved with anyone in his management company — had him willing away the slight hardness beginning to make itself known in his lap. </p>
<p>The last thing he needed was to be seen walking around the hotel next to Yibo with a tent in his pants.</p>
<p>“So… are you sure you don’t want to hang out for a bit?” Yibo asked as they approached his door, though not appearing at all surprised when Xiao Zhan kept walking for a few steps. He had a look on his face like a kicked puppy, as if expecting to be pushed away and left to suffer for his mistakes.</p>
<p>“Why don’t we hang out in mine? I’ll just kick you out when I get tired,” Xiao Zhan suggested. He didn’t know if this was going where he <em> hoped </em> it might, but if it did, he wasn’t sure what supplies Yibo had on hand, but he knew the contents of his own room. Better to be safe than sorry.</p>
<p>They’d been dancing around each other, both literally and figuratively, for months and Xiao Zhan was ready to burst in more ways than one.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Yibo’s face visibly brightened, and he followed him down the hallway.</p>
<p>After opening his door, he ushered Yibo inside ahead of him, then took a breath to steady himself as he closed it, separating them from the outside world.</p>
<p>He was done fighting. Logic and responsibility be damned.</p>
<p>“What do you want to…” Yibo’s voice trailed off when his eyes met Xiao Zhan’s.</p>
<p>Months worth of pent-up lust burned hot in his gut as he stared at Yibo, whose innocent, guileless eyes widened at his expression. He took two steps, holding out a hand in offering.</p>
<p>Yibo grabbed it like a lifeline the moment he was within reach, his eyes holding a question Xiao Zhan was finally ready to answer.</p>
<p>He pulled the younger man roughly, causing him to stumble into Xiao Zhan and grab his waist to steady himself, their bodies pressed tightly against each other hip to chest. He had to look down slightly to keep contact with Yibo’s eyes, which was disconcerting. He’d gotten accustomed to his gaze being forced up at him on set.</p>
<p>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo breathed, so close the soft puff of air blew against his face.</p>
<p>Xiao Zhan’s free hand slid up the man’s solid chest to the side of his neck, wrapping around the back to pull him even closer. “Tell me no, Yibo,” he begged in one last desperate attempt to stop himself.</p>
<p>The only response he got was the hands at his waist tightening their grasp, pulling him closer. His quickly filling cock was pressed up against washboard abs and a matching hardness was poking into his thigh.</p>
<p>His mouth attacked Yibo like a tidal wave.</p>
<p>Hard, relentless, the push and pull of those big, soft lips <em> finally </em> against his own making him mindless with need. His hand gripped tightly in Yibo’s hair, preventing him from escaping as he attacked with lips and tongue. He was lit aflame as Yibo’s large hands roamed across his sides and back like he couldn’t decide where to stop, his sweet mouth taking everything Xiao Zhan was giving and then pressing him for more. </p>
<p>With every drop of blood in his body rushing south and no need for oxygen when he could sustain himself with the taste of Yibo’s tongue, his head quickly became light and floaty. The constant barrage of his thoughts was blissfully silent, his mind empty of everything but the drive of his desire.</p>
<p>Luckily, Yibo broke away from him with a gasp, forcing them both to breathe for a moment.</p>
<p>“This is a horrible idea,” Xiao Zhan panted. Yet he couldn’t keep himself from delivering continued nips to Yibo’s swollen lips. “But your mouth has been taunting me for months in every way you could possibly manage, and I can’t take it anymore…”</p>
<p><em> “Fuck…” </em> Yibo groaned, pressing himself tightly against him as if he could meld their bodies together, his lips capturing Xiao Zhan’s again and sneaking teasing licks into his mouth.</p>
<p>Xiao Zhan couldn’t get enough — what the young man lacked in finesse, he more than made up for with eagerness. The way Yibo’s large hands had slipped beneath Xiao Zhan’s shirt to grip his waist, thumbs skimming across his stomach and along the waistband of his shorts, just spurred the blaze burning through him. He was suddenly very eager for those hands to move the scant few centimeters down and put him out of his misery.</p>
<p>He immediately decided they both had entirely too many clothes on.</p>
<p>His hands slid under Yibo’s black overshirt at the shoulders, pushing and tugging at the fabric until Yibo caught on and shrugged it off. Yibo took advantage of the brief separation of their mouths to drop his lips to Xiao Zhan’s neck, licking and kissing his way lower. When he fastened himself to the curve just above the shoulder and sucked hard, Xiao Zhan <em> keened </em> and rutted his now impossibly hard dick against Yibo’s stomach.</p>
<p>This boy — with his mouth, and his hands, and the tiny growlish mewling noises he kept making in the back of his throat that sounded so fucking <em> sexy </em> — had Xiao Zhan nearly ready to come in his pants like an adolescent with no self-control. The fire licking across his skin was making him sweat, and he tore his shirt over his head in a rush before pulling at Yibo’s thin t-shirt, desperate to get skin to skin. The man was always running a few degrees cooler than Xiao Zhan, and he wanted to <em> feel </em> him, to soothe the fevered lust caused by months of pent up frustration that had him wanting to throw Yibo on the bed and devour him.</p>
<p>“Wait, wait… slow down,” Yibo panted, obviously trying to grasp at some semblance of control. But he didn’t slow down at all, instead running a hand up to pinch at a nipple, making Yibo gasp in a mixture of pleasure and exasperation. <em> “Xiao Zhan!” </em></p>
<p>Yibo was staring at him with a fond expression and wide-eyed wonder, pupils blown so wide no hint of brown could be seen. His face was flushed pink, hair mussed from Xiao Zhan’s hands running through it — the same hands whose fingertips couldn’t seem to stop trailing over the man’s pale, toned chest.</p>
<p>“Never thought I’d hear the adrenaline junkie say <em> slow down,” </em> Xiao Zhan said breathlessly, unable to stop a bright smile from taking over his face. </p>
<p>With his heart pounding madly, he wondered if this was what it felt to be high. Wang Yibo was like a drug, making him weightless and empty-headed, and he couldn’t get enough.</p>
<p>He wanted <em> more. </em></p>
<p>His smile seemed to daze Yibo, making him pliant enough to manhandle toward the bed. With a shove, Yibo fell onto the mattress and bounced slightly, laughing. He propped himself up on his elbows, putting himself on display.</p>
<p><em> Most likely on purpose, </em> Xiao Zhan thought. <em> The little shit. </em></p>
<p>He had to know how good he looked — shirtless and flushed, eyes wide and glittering with his mouth lifted in a grin, and a prominent bulge in the front of his pants begging for attention. Yibo was easily the hottest thing he’d ever seen.</p>
<p>Now that he had the man laid out like a feast, Xiao Zhan couldn’t decide where to even start. There were about ten different things that he wanted to do with this boy, and his dick was very insistent that they all happen <em> right fucking now. </em></p>
<p>On instinct, his knees hit the bed, and he crawled up the line of Yibo’s body. His hands slid up the length of his strong legs, caressing shins and thighs over the loose fabric of his pants. He wanted to straddle the narrow hips and cage him in, but a flash of nervousness crossed Yibo’s face, and Xiao Zhan repositioned to lay down beside him instead.</p>
<p>The tightness in Yibo’s eyes vanished and he was on him in a flash, kissing Xiao Zhan again like his life depended on it. </p>
<p>Xiao Zhan had one arm pinned beneath him, but the other was free and set to work taking full advantage. He skimmed along the smooth skin of Yibo’s side down to his hip, then lower to press against the hard length that strained, trapped under the cloth. </p>
<p>A moan bubbled up from deep in Yibo’s throat, so sexy that Xiao Zhan wanted to make him sing with the sounds so he could drown in them. He pulled away to look the older man in the eyes.</p>
<p>“Zhan-ge,” His voice was somehow even deeper when lit by desire, the rumbling bass of it sending a tremor down Xiao Zhan’s spine. “Are you sure? You said no, and then — ”</p>
<p>“I can’t fight this anymore, Yibo. I can’t. I’m weak,” Xiao Zhan whimpered. He couldn’t seem to stop the little repetitive movements of his hips that rubbed his cock deliciously against Yibo’s hip. Every shift sent a new jolt of pleasure zipping through his core. “I want you too much.”</p>
<p>While they had been talking, he’d deftly unfastened the button and zipper of the man’s gray pants. His fingers teased along the elastic of Yibo’s underwear before sliding underneath, his palm finally making contact with the hot, rigid length. </p>
<p>“Oh my god, you’re huge,” Xiao Zhan gushed as Yibo’s hips bucked up at his touch. He’d paid enough attention to Yibo’s physique when they’d shared a room to know the young man was probably pretty gifted in that department, but from the feel of it in his hand, he’d never been with anyone nearly <em> this </em> big. He smiled through the kiss he placed on Yibo’s lips. “You are <em> definitely </em> fucking me.”</p>
<p>He was positively <em> giddy, </em> shivering as a thrill ran through his body. He stroked Yibo’s cock at a slow, steady pace, relishing how wet he was already making the younger man as his fingers became coated.</p>
<p>“<em> Fuck! </em> Zhan-ge,” Yibo moaned, and it only made Xiao Zhan more eager to take him apart.</p>
<p>He moved in to kiss him again, but Yibo put a firm hand on his chest. Xiao Zhan slowed his ministrations, expecting to hear him say he was already too close.</p>
<p>Yet Yibo never did what he expected. He was staring at Xiao Zhan with those heart eyes again, but there was apprehension in his gaze.</p>
<p>“I’ve never… I mean, one time — with a girl,” Yibo said in a quiet voice, suddenly shy. “But that was kind of a disaster, to be honest.”</p>
<p>“You’ve never…” Xiao Zhan’s brain came to a screeching halt so fast he could almost hear the squeal of the brakes in his head. He was immediately reminded of just how <em> young </em> Yibo actually was. <em> Shit. Am I taking advantage of him right now? </em></p>
<p>He dropped the dick in his hand like it was on fire, quickly withdrawing from Yibo’s boxers and settling his hand back in a safer setting, above the fabric of his clothes. </p>
<p>Yet again, Wang Yibo had thrown him completely off course. It never occurred to him they would need to go slow — he’d been with inexperienced girls, but he’d never been with a guy who wasn’t ready and willing to jump into bed at a moment’s notice.</p>
<p>“I’ve done things! Some things…” Yibo quickly assured him. His hands moved eagerly over the skin of Xiao Zhan’s back and held him tightly, as if he was afraid the man would bolt out of his arms. “Not <em> everything </em> — It’s not easy to find somebody that - that - that I trust.” </p>
<p>Yibo’s eyes were so open and sincere, for a moment he looked so innocent Xiao Zhan would have felt guilty if not for the wave of responsibility that came over him. He was young, and more inexperienced than he appeared, but it was clear he wanted Xiao Zhan.</p>
<p>“We can do whatever you want… But does it…” Yibo trailed off and looked down. “Does it have to be a race?”</p>
<p>His demeanor was clear: he was putting himself at Xiao Zhan’s mercy — open to whatever it took to keep the older man there, even if he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it. </p>
<p>Yibo had flirted and chased him all over the set, literally, for the last few months. He’d doggedly pursued Xiao Zhan and worn him down until he submitted. But now that he had Xiao Zhan in his arms, it seemed he’d reached the end of his bravado, less sure of the path ahead. He was asking for patience but not expecting it from an experienced elder, and he was more than willing to trust Xiao Zhan not to hurt him — physically or otherwise.</p>
<p>The lust that had been driving through Xiao Zhan like a steady drum beat since they’d entered the room cooled to a dull simmer, his heart feeling like it might crack open and leak all over him.</p>
<p>This boy astounded him. He was an amalgamation of contradictions — sweetness and passion, handsome and cute, courageous and timid. Like a mosaic of different materials, all blended together into one perfect piece of art.</p>
<p>He was perfectly imperfect. The most fascinating person he’d ever known.</p>
<p>“Yibo. Sweet boy. There’s no hurry,<em> ” </em>Xiao Zhan assured him as his hand stroked gently through his hair, comforting him like he would a cat. “We don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be sorry!” Yibo said quickly. “I… I really like you, Xiao Zhan. I want this. I want <em> you.” </em></p>
<p>Yibo’s arms wrapped around him like a vise, his head burrowing into the side of Xiao Zhan’s neck. He licked and sucked in various spots, running a trail of kisses up to Xiao Zhan’s ear and bit gently, making the older man squirm.</p>
<p>He’d been trying to keep his cool, take things slower, but the feel of Yibo’s hard body against him and the sensation of his mouth on his skin had relit the fire very quickly. The hard line of Yibo’s dick pressing against his own through their clothing felt amazing and was making him needy for more. He ran his hands up and down the smooth planes of Yibo’s back before settling them on his ass to pull him even closer.</p>
<p>He’d been dying to touch those sweet little mounds for months, and they fit as perfectly in his hand as he’d dreamed they would. He knew he had to let Yibo take the lead, but he couldn’t resist sliding his hands under the waistband of Yibo’s clothes to caress the smooth cheeks with his fingertips.</p>
<p>He hoped one day he’d get the chance to lay worship that ass the way the gods intended.</p>
<p>They kissed for a few minutes — or maybe hours — Xiao Zhan lost all concept of time, so focused on the man in his arms. Yibo was a very quick study, and it didn’t take long for them to find a rhythm. It was just like practicing a routine together on set, but now it was the eager push and pull of lips and tongues dancing in sync, learning how the other liked to be kissed.</p>
<p>When Xiao Zhan bit his lower lip and sucked it into his mouth, Yibo groaned deep in his throat and bucked his hips against him.</p>
<p>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo asked when his mouth was freed. His voice was rough with desire. “Can I touch you?”</p>
<p>“Please,” Xiao Zhan begged. He was already so hard, he was afraid he might come the second Yibo made contact with his dick. The man always made him feel like a teenager, infecting him with his youthful energy and playfulness, but he’d rather not embarrass himself with <em> that </em> particular juvenile behavior.</p>
<p>With their positions flipped, letting Yibo take the lead so he would be comfortable, he towered over Xiao Zhan on all fours above him. Pale as moonlight, with those broad shoulders and a serious expression on his handsome face, Xiao Zhan suddenly felt like his character, putting himself at the mercy of Lan Zhan’s power.</p>
<p>Slowly and carefully, Yibo unfastened Xiao Zhan’s shorts, sliding them down his thighs. Xiao Zhan pushed them the rest of the way off, leaving himself completely exposed to Yibo’s hungry look. </p>
<p>He wasn’t used to a man treating him so delicately, like he was cherished and precious. But he <em> liked </em> it.</p>
<p>Hands ran gently up his legs, but Xiao Zhan wasn’t expecting the tongue that suddenly ran firmly up his cock from base to tip. He choked on a groan, only barely keeping his pelvis from lifting off the bed. Luckily, Yibo took hold and pinned him down, his thumbs softly caressing Xiao Zhan’s hip bones as he licked at the head of his cock before sucking it into his mouth.</p>
<p>Xiao Zhan had to close his eyes and bite his fist as the pleasure overwhelmed him. He couldn’t let himself look — he’d <em> dreamed </em> of Yibo’s delectable mouth doing this to him, and if he saw those lips wrapped around him, he’d explode.</p>
<p>The sensation alone was making him come undone. The younger man definitely knew what he was doing, his tongue swirling and teasing Xiao Zhan until he was moaning and forced to grip the sheets in a mindless attempt at control. Either Yibo had done this before or he was a natural at sucking cock, but regardless, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but cry out his thanks to a higher power for putting him on the receiving end.</p>
<p>“Oh my god,” Xiao nearly sobbed. His hand released the sheet, instead gripping Yibo’s hair and making him moan, sending delicious vibrations from Xiao Zhan’s dick all the way up his spine. “<em> Fuck! </em> Yibo — Yibo, you have to stop! I’m gonna come — ”</p>
<p>Yibo pulled off of him with a pop, pushing himself up to look Xiao in the eye, and wiped at his bottom lip with the back of his finger. “What’s wrong with that?”</p>
<p>His eyes were blown black, cheeks flushed, and his lips were swollen and red from his endeavors. He was an ethereal succubus, his beauty nearly otherworldly, and Xiao Zhan was his more than willing victim.</p>
<p>“Fucking hell. Come here,” Xiao Zhan said, pulling at his arm to bring his face even with his own. Those fucking <em> ridiculous </em> lips were going to be the death of him.</p>
<p>Yibo shucked off his pants and boxers in a rush before running a hand up Xiao Zhan’s torso, tweaking a nipple and sending a burst of electric pleasure straight back down to the older man’s groin. He laid down beside him, and Xiao Zhan wasted no time capturing his lips in a heated kiss. The taste of himself on Yibo’s mouth only driving his passion further.</p>
<p>If he didn’t come soon, Xiao Zhan was pretty sure he was going to fucking die.</p>
<p>His hands explored freely, and unable to resist the urge, he took hold of Yibo’s long cock. The younger man mirrored his actions, stroking in a matching rhythm as they devoured each other.</p>
<p>“Your hand is so big,” Xiao Zhan panted, barely able to form words. “<em> Fuck. </em> Can you… can you… both at the same — AH, <em> fuck </em> yes!”</p>
<p>He didn’t even need to finish his thought before Yibo’s dick was sliding against his own, both of them engulfed in his stupidly big hand. They were both leaking, making the glide of his hand and the movement between them even easier.</p>
<p>He grabbed desperately at Yibo’s back, pressing his face into the side of the younger man’s neck like he could meld their bodies together. His heart raced, and the blaze pooling in his gut ratcheted higher and higher, tightening like a coil as Yibo increased his speed and growled his name.</p>
<p>The tension snapped.</p>
<p>Yibo’s cock pulsed against his own and Xiao Zhan came with a yell, pleasure tearing through him as they spilled their release all over each other.</p>
<p>When the bliss subsided moments later, he noticed a hand petting at his hair and opened his eyes to a look of pure joy on Yibo’s face. </p>
<p>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo said softly. His smile was nearly blinding, and Xiao Zhan had an impulsive desire to make sure he always looked that happy. “We should get cleaned up.”</p>
<p>“Mn,” Xiao Zhan agreed with a matching satisfied smile on his face. He was too tired to move, completely unraveled, and barely noticed Yibo cleaning them both with a towel before he drifted off to sleep, perfectly content in the man’s strong arms.</p>
<p>******</p>
<p>They woke up early enough the next morning that Yibo would have time to get showered and changed before heading off to catch his flight. Unfortunately, he somehow managed to talk Xiao Zhan into letting him shower in <em> his </em> room ( <em> I’m sure I reek, Zhan-ge, what if I run into someone in the hallway? </em> ) and then convinced Xiao Zhan to join him ( <em> You need to shower too, right? We can save water. Or don’t you care about the planet? </em>), which turned into round two.</p>
<p>“I’m going to be gone for days, Zhan-ge,” Yibo pointed out when Xiao Zhan attempted to fend off his grabby hands under the pretense of making sure he didn’t miss his flight. His lower lip pushed into a pout. “You’re not even going to give me a taste to tide me over?”</p>
<p>Having thrown his willpower to the wind the night before, there was no part of his psyche left with any desire to deny him. Yibo’s pouty face was deadly on a regular day, but wet and naked there was no possible way to deny him anything.</p>
<p>He did finally make it out the door with barely enough time to grab his packed suitcase from his room and catch his plane, after stealing a pair of Xiao Zhan’s clean boxers and hastily throwing on his clothes from the night before. He kissed Xiao Zhan once more, long and deep as if he couldn’t bear to part from him, and bolted out the door with a promise to call when he got the chance. He’d be taping Happy Camp in the afternoon and then rehearsals and prep for TTXS, so it would be a few days before he got back to their set.</p>
<p>After he left, Xiao Zhan collapsed on the bed, taking a few minutes to reel himself in before his own busy day began. A small part of his brain nagged that he should feel guilty for what they’d done — he should be kicking himself for letting things get out of hand.</p>
<p>But all Xiao Zhan could feel was happy. He was so content he could almost purr, as blissful as JianGuo curled up in a warm winter sunbeam. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt that way. But he knew it was long before he’d ever changed careers and moved to Beijing.</p>
<p>Maybe spending the next few months being close to Wang Yibo would be better for him than he’d thought.</p>
<p>******</p>
<p>A few days later, filming had wrapped for the day, and Xiao Zhan caught a van back to the hotel with Meng Ziyi. They had spent most of the day filming various scenes together, and ZiZi wasn’t a bad person to work with. She was always very professional, and Xiao Zhan liked working with her well enough. She was a bit of a flirt, but then so was he — so they generally got along great and had fun together.</p>
<p>Once they got to the hotel, ZiZi kept chatting with him and seemed to be following him to his room. He didn’t even think she was staying on the same floor he was, and just as he was about to ask her if she was lost, he noticed Yibo down the hallway, knocking on his door.</p>
<p>They had texted a few times while he had been out of town, both of them too busy to even have time for a phone call, but Xiao Zhan hadn’t expected him back so soon. His heart jumped in his chest in excitement, and an irrepressible smile took over his face.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Xiao Zhan said, a little louder than normal to catch his attention. “I thought you weren’t due back until tomorrow!”</p>
<p>Yibo shrugged. “We finished taping ahead of schedule, and I caught an earlier flight. Thought I’d come see you, but I guess you’re busy.”</p>
<p>He gave Meng Ziyi a cynical look, then turned as if to head back to his own room.</p>
<p>“I was just leaving,” ZiZi said quickly. “I’ll see you later, ZhanZhan.”</p>
<p>“Ok, bye!” he called cheerfully toward her retreating form, which was heading back the way they had come. She shifted toward the elevators, which he briefly considered was strange, but pushed the thought aside to focus his attention on more important things.</p>
<p>His Lan Zhan was back!</p>
<p>“ZhanZhan?” Yibo questioned with a sneer.</p>
<p>“What?” Xiao Zhan chuckled. He was still in a bit of a playful mood from the scenes they’d filmed that day, with Wei Wuxian’s cheerfulness still dominating his brain. “Everybody calls me that!”</p>
<p>“You let everyone be too familiar with you,” Yibo grumbled, stepping back so Xiao Zhan could open his door.</p>
<p>“What is your problem today, Didi?” Xiao Zhan asked as they moved into the room. “I thought you said you had a good time with your geges. Now you’re in a mood.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t realize I would be sharing,” Yibo said, his voice biting in a way rarely aimed at Xiao Zhan.</p>
<p>“Sharing? Sharing what?”</p>
<p>“You.” Dark, beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously.</p>
<p>“With who?” Xiao Zhan asked, dumbfounded.</p>
<p>“Whoever you want, I guess!” Yibo exclaimed, throwing his arms up at his sides dramatically. “The whole fucking cast is in love with you — take your pick. Meng Ziyi for a start?”</p>
<p>“ZiZi and I had scenes together all day today,” Xiao Zhan explained, ignoring Yibo’s bitter tone and completely ridiculous remark.</p>
<p>“And she was coming back to your room?”</p>
<p>“No,” Xiao Zhan quickly replied. “She was going back to hers.”</p>
<p>“She’s not even staying on this <em> floor, </em> Xiao Zhan.”</p>
<p>“Well, <em> I </em> don’t know what she wanted!” He laughed nervously, which only seemed to ramp up the younger man’s temper.</p>
<p>“You!” Yibo said angrily.</p>
<p>“That’s ridiculous,” Xiao Zhan assured him, though in the back of his mind, he wondered if Yibo might have a point. ZiZi <em> had </em> been extremely friendly today. Still, he couldn’t help but try to turn the tables on him. “Aww… Are you jealous, Lan Zhan?”</p>
<p>With his serious face and eyes flashing, it was hard not to see the character more than the man.</p>
<p>Yibo’s glare only hardened. “Did you not hear what I said the other night?” </p>
<p>Xiao Zhan remembered quite a bit about the night they spent together a few days ago, much of it in vivid detail, but being unclear on the specific thing Yibo was talking about, all he could do was stare at him blankly.</p>
<p>“I don’t just fuck around with people!” He shouted in frustration. His voice held a note of accusation, and Xiao Zhan finally began to catch on to the issue.</p>
<p>“Neither do I,” he responded flatly. Keeping his own aggravation in check was a struggle, but it wouldn’t do any good to fight about something so ridiculous. Yibo had riled himself up over nothing, but in fairness, it’s not like they’d done a lot of talking after the fact.</p>
<p>Confusion stole over Yibo’s face, and his stiff shoulders slumped like the wind went out of a sail. “What does that mean?”</p>
<p><em> Ah… </em> Xiao Zhan thought, finally catching on to the real cause of Yibo’s outburst. He answered with a soft smile . “It means I only want to <em> fuck around </em> with you.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Yibo asked with a hopeful lilt in his voice.</p>
<p>With his anger doused, it was safe for Xiao Zhan to approach, and he pulled Yibo into his arms, wrapping them around the man’s slim waist. His hands spread over Yibo’s lower back, his thumbs rubbing each side of his spine in a soothing manner. He stared down into his eyes. “You must know how I feel. Why would I want anybody else when I can have the handsome, talented, amazing Wang Yibo?”</p>
<p>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo said his name like a prayer, and he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of it. A bright smile lit up his face, making him glow like the star he was. He pulled Xiao Zhan closer in his arms. “You’re all mine.”</p>
<p>“And you’re mine,” Xiao Zhan said before capturing Yibo’s mouth in a sweet kiss that quickly became more heated. After a few seconds, he pulled away to drink his fill of the beautiful boy again, taking pleasure in the way he’d already made Yibo’s lips swollen and red. He smiled. “You’re stuck with me for the next few months, until the end of the summer.”</p>
<p>A flash of something like concern passed through Yibo’s eyes, and then his mouth was on Xiao Zhan’s again, hands roaming over his body, and Xiao Zhan quickly became too distracted to question him.</p>
<p>They were on the same page, and that was all that mattered. </p>
<p>The rest of the evening they wasted away, naked in bed, and completely caught up in each other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What did you think? Did Yibo surprise you?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. July</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yibo and Xiao Zhan settle into a relationship of sorts, enjoying their time together both on and off screen.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>The truth was that ever since they’d started sleeping together, fact and fiction had become one swirling mass in his mind. And he’d done nothing to stop it, telling himself their chemistry on screen had gotten even better, so it didn’t matter. That the feelings so often overwhelming him were just character bleed — the soulmate bond of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji — not them. </p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to everyone who has been reading and commenting on this fic! Also thanks to Tee for beta reading for me!</p>
<p>Here's a link to the <a href="https://youtu.be/iRTYaPSlsAc">interview clip</a> referred to in the chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What’s something that’s never banned from your home?” Xiao Zhan asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were finishing up an on-set interview, which had mainly involved him asking Yibo a number of questions. The younger man had mostly used it as a way to mess with him, giving answers meant to provoke or tease him. Xiao Zhan wasn’t looking at him, expecting Yibo to answer, but when he paused, Xiao Zhan looked up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo waited until he had his attention, then slowly set the microphone down, staring at him seriously while he answered quietly. “You.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s mouth opened in shock, breaking into a smile and laughing as Yibo smiled at him smugly. Over the few weeks they’d been doing whatever it was they were doing — hooking up? Friends with benefits? Dating? — Yibo had only gotten more and more comfortable flirting on set.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he hadn’t been very </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncomfortable</span>
  </em>
  <span> with it to begin with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ironically, given the roles they were playing, Yibo was certainly the more shameless of the two of them. The man had no qualms about showing his affection and was always finding ways to touch him. At times, by slapping and fighting like before, but now he would also sometimes smooth the strands of Xiao Zhan’s wig or lay a hand on his shoulder. It was sweet and settled a warm, happy feeling in his heart, and Xiao Zhan found himself looking for ways to return the attention whenever possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, it was one thing to play around between takes, and another to be so forward on camera during an interview.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So bold, Wang Yibo!” he said after they bid farewell to the reporter and cameraman and walked back to where they were needed on set. “Have you no shame?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled, unable to be upset about the potential trouble Yibo’s behavior caused. The man threw himself fully into whatever interested him, and it was clear that right now what interested him was Xiao Zhan. Being the focus of all that attention made him feel like he was being showered with starlight and he’d become invincible. Even with the long, exhausting days, the pressure of having the lead role, and the uncertainty of his career, Xiao Zhan had never felt so happy and content.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m the shameless one?” Yibo replied with his trademark smirk. “Who was the one making so much noise the other night that Da-ge came knocking to make sure you hadn’t hurt yourself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, the gremlin. He’d never let Xiao Zhan live that down. As if it was his fault Yibo could do such magical things with that beautiful mouth and made him lose his goddamn mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just then a couple of staff approached to fix their hair and makeup for the upcoming scene, so Xiao Zhan bit back his lewd comment and smacked Yibo on the arm instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was your fault,” Xiao Zhan accused, pointing a finger at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You liked it,” Yibo said. He had the audacity to wink at him over the head of the girl patting powder on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And because Xiao Zhan turned into a reckless child around Wang Yibo, he narrowed his eyes in a sultry look, raised his eyebrows suggestively and said, “Obviously.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s gaze became heated, and he started to open his mouth to respond, but before he could traumatize the poor makeup jiejies who were combing their wigs, Xiao Zhan quickly changed the subject. “What do you want for your birthday?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s birthday was coming up quickly, and he really needed to figure out what to get so he would have time to get it shipped. What exactly did you get for the guy you were working with, and sort of crazy about, and also fucking, but it wasn’t serious?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Yibo quipped, before a sweet, satisfied smile brightened his face. “I already have everything I want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sparkle in his eyes made it clear exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>who</span>
  </em>
  <span> he was talking about, and Xiao Zhan wanted badly to ignore their surroundings and just kiss him senseless. Of course, that desire had pretty much become a daily — if not hourly — occurrence at this point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was probably bad that Yibo seemed to be taking their fooling around so seriously, but Xiao Zhan couldn’t bring himself to discourage him. He liked being with Yibo, looking out for him and doting on him. And he liked the feeling of belonging to Yibo and being singled out for his attention. Playing soulmates who only had eyes for one another, when the two actors seemed to fit together so well in every way, made everything flow with the ease of water down a hill.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The truth was, Wang Yibo was rapidly beginning to ruin him for anyone else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan had never been involved with anyone he felt he could be completely himself with. He’d always kept parts of himself in check — in some ways, he had been an actor his whole life. With women, his more gender-fluid impulses and actions that they wouldn’t like or might find suspicious had to be tamped down. They thought it was cute that he liked to cook and knew how to knit, but there was an invisible line between gender roles that he instinctively knew to stay away from. With men, he had to be more careful of his feelings and emotions. Hooking up was fine, but long-term relationships were impossible, so it was better not to get too attached.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo had blown all of his previous practices straight to hell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since they’d been friends to begin with, Xiao Zhan hadn’t needed to fit a mold or live up to any preconceived expectations. Yibo lived very freely, not caring if people judged him for what he liked or didn’t, and so it was easy to be honest with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The added complication of acting out a role that was equal parts hero, villain, and damsel in distress just made it that much easier to embrace whatever he was feeling and run with it. And Yibo didn’t have any problem with it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In fact, he seemed to embrace any mood Xiao Zhan could throw at him and counterbalance it, as if their complex relationship were simply a freestyle dance that he was more than capable of maneuvering. Yibo was playful when he was, and equally deferential and apologetic when Xiao Zhan was aggravated. Whether off set or on it, the man gladly gave him whatever he needed or wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At work, Yibo had become nearly obnoxious in his desire to take care of him. He worried that Xiao Zhan wasn’t eating enough (which was probably a well-founded concern), and every week when Yibo returned from filming in Changsha, he brought as many of Xiao Zhan’s favorite snacks as his luggage could hold. Between takes they were often shoved in his hands, and he would sigh or growl in aggravation before realizing it had been hours since he’d bothered to put anything in his stomach. Inevitably, Yibo’s behavior reminded him of Lan Wangji, in the way that he was always looking out for Wei Wuxian and willing to step up to protect him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just like their characters, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but admire Yibo’s abilities and accomplishments, his poise and knowledge. After listening to the younger man talk about his time in Korea and the countries he’d traveled to with UNIQ, Xiao Zhan often felt as if Yibo was really his </span>
  <em>
    <span>laoshi,</span>
  </em>
  <span> teaching him about the ways of the industry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But whether due to his youth or a dearth of functional experience, Yibo was happy to let Xiao Zhan take the lead with their sexual escapades.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the nights they were both free, and not falling over in exhaustion, they stayed together in Xiao Zhan’s room. It hadn’t taken long at all for Yibo to want to take things further, and it was definitely fun for Xiao Zhan to teach him what he liked. Yibo was always enthusiastic, gladly acquiescing to whatever Xiao Zhan wanted to try. After their first few nights together, he’d only pushed for more and never slowed down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> eager, Xiao Zhan worried </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yibo</span>
  </em>
  <span> might be the one twisting himself into something he was not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it seemed impossible. This was Wang Yibo — professional, talented, but savage when he wanted to be. On the job, Yibo would conform to whatever was being asked, silently filling the role he was being paid for. But when it came to his personal life, it seemed the man never did anything he didn’t want to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo was honest to a fault, and he had no reason not to be with Xiao Zhan. So he had to trust that Yibo’s behavior, the way he essentially coddled him whenever possible, was normal for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one he’d ever dated had ever treated Xiao Zhan this way before, and he had to admit, it was nice being spoiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You treat me too well, Lao Wang! Like royalty,” he laughed a few days later, taking a sip of the Starbucks drink Yibo had handed him when he’d gotten to the hair and makeup room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo gave him a smile, the one that always made Xiao Zhan want to kiss him. He dropped into an exaggerated bow, with his hands together in front, holding out his coffee carefully as his waist bent low. “My prince.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang-laoshi! Shameless!” Xiao Zhan grinned, throwing his own lines from the script back at him in jest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo kept up the “prince” joke throughout their morning scenes, always sure to whisper it to him quietly so others wouldn’t overhear. He was sure some of the cast suspected there was more going on between the two of them than just running lines late into the night, to the point Yibo so often crashed in Xiao Zhan’s room, but they were still careful not to flaunt the turn their relationship had taken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, that’s actually one of my favorite books,” Xiao Zhan told him as they took a short break to force some noodles into their systems while waiting for an opening to blast themselves with the air conditioner vent before going back into the scorching heat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo gave him a curious look. “What is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Little Prince,” he answered. “Have you read it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Part of it, but not the whole story. Reading was never really my thing growing up.” Yibo chuckled, “I’ve always preferred to be in motion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t surprise me at all!” Xiao Zhan smiled fondly. “My little </span>
  <em>
    <span>gǒu zǎi zǎi.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the book about?” asked Yibo. His eyes were focused on him intently, staring at Xiao Zhan with his serious Lan Zhan expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan couldn’t resist diving into a thorough explanation of the story, complete with literary analysis of the meaning behind the different key components and characters. He tended to get animated when discussing things he was passionate about, but Yibo didn’t laugh at his antics. Instead, he was a captive audience, his eyes rarely diverting from Xiao Zhan’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was nice, the way they never seemed to run out of things to talk about. On the surface, the two of them were so different — they had work and some musical interests in common, but otherwise their hobbies were completely opposite. He liked to spend his down time immersed in books, art, and movies, while Yibo couldn’t seem to sit still to save his life. Yet Xiao Zhan found he enjoyed learning about motorcycles and legos, especially when Yibo looked so happy discussing them. The way his face would light up and he would stutter through an explanation of a complicated racing maneuver done by one of his idols, simply because he was so excited his brain moved faster than his mouth could keep up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was adorable, and Xiao Zhan could listen to his deep, soothing voice for hours. Likewise, Yibo seemed to enjoy listening to his discussions of the books he was reading or an artist he’d discovered. He’d even told Xiao Zhan once that he liked learning about things from him because “everything is more interesting when you’re the one talking about it”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t matter that their favorite things were different, as long as they took an interest in each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would take for Yibo to get bored with him. It was bound to happen sooner or later, given his age and penchant for excitement, which certainly couldn’t be found in Xiao Zhan’s quiet, steadfast lifestyle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For himself, he didn’t think he could ever get tired of Wang Yibo. He was like the most intriguing novel, where every chapter unveiled a new twist or clue, and just when you think you’ve got the story figured out, it turned and took off in a different direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan knew that sooner or later the story was going to come to an end, but his heart was already telling him that Yibo was a masterpiece — he would be hard to let go of, and like every great story, would leave marks on his heart for years to come.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a grueling few days of filming. They had filmed through the night the day before, and in the last three days Xiao Zhan was sure he’d only gotten a handful of hours of sleep. Since Yibo had fewer scenes and had a more human schedule, he’d been forcing Xiao Zhan to nap between scenes and nagging him to stay hydrated. He could only thank the gods for his — the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> sprang to mind, but he quickly dismissed it — co-star and set assistant keeping him upright and functioning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan was so worn down that even Yibo’s sincere assurance that he was beautiful even when disgusting and covered in mud did little to lift his mood. He could only stare at the young man in awe, wondering what in the world Yibo must see in him to be able to look past his horrendous appearance. Whether they were in front of a camera or not, the look in Yibo’s eyes was the same, and sometimes the only way Xiao Zhan’s sleep deprived brain could tell the difference was the smirks and smiles his Lan Zhan never showed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>FINALLY,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan was being freed from the set, which over the last few hours had begun to feel like a jail. He was eager to get back to his room, wash off all the grime of the day, and hopefully get a full night’s sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re coming over?” Xiao Zhan said, more of a statement than a question, as he and Yibo trudged down the hall toward their rooms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want me to?” Yibo asked, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. “I figured you just wanted to clean up and crash.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do. But…” Xiao Zhan hesitated, not willing to ask for what he wanted. He was jittery, on edge from the lack of sleep and emotional toll of their scenes over the last few days. He knew that curling up with Yibo’s arms around him would make it easier for him to relax and rest, but he didn’t want to assume. Or push.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo stopped when they got to his door, scanning Xiao Zhan’s face as if he was assessing a map. “I’ll shower and change and then be back,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He swayed forward slightly, and for a moment Xiao Zhan thought Yibo might kiss him right there in the middle of the hallway where anyone could walk out and see them. But then he pulled himself back with a small smile and turned toward his own door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One long, hot shower later, Xiao Zhan was feeling a lot more human. He sauntered out of the bathroom feeling five kilograms lighter, naked and drying his hair with a towel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He startled and stifled a yell when he looked up to see Yibo laying on his bed in a thin shirt and boxers. On reflex, he dropped the towel down quickly to cover himself. “Jesus, you scared me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry! You gave me your extra card, remember?” Yibo’s gaze dropped down to the towel held at his waist and smiled. “You know I’ve seen it before, right? In fact, I’d say your dick and I are pretty intimately acquainted. Don’t hide on my account.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>brat,</span>
  </em>
  <span> do you know that?” Xiao Zhan grumbled. He threw the towel at Yibo’s head with a haughty smile and then strolled across the room with false confidence toward his clothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh sounded from behind him. “Ahh… Zhan-ge’s ass is so cute. Plump like a little peach!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo!” He spun around, his exasperation quickly morphing into fondness at the man’s pleased grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just come to bed, Zhan-ge,” Yibo said, pulling off his shirt and holding out his hand as if he could reach across the room. “You’ve got to be exhausted. I’ll be good, just come sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His concern was so evident, his deep, serious voice carrying the weight of an authority that shouldn’t be questioned, that Xiao Zhan moved in a trance to the bed. He turned off the lights and crawled under the sheet as Yibo lifted it for him, snuggling up next to the younger man once they were both settled. Xiao Zhan hummed in contentment, expecting his brain to finally shut down and drift off, lulled by the intoxicating scent of Yibo’s shampoo and the feel of his soft skin against his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet the minutes dragged by and Xiao Zhan’s body couldn’t rest. The angst and agitation of Wei Wuxian was still crawling under his skin, like an itch that wouldn’t go away. He’d hit the point where he was so tired he </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleep, as if his body had forgotten how. He needed something… something that would turn everything off like a hard reset to his system.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the matter?” Yibo’s voice rumbled into his brain where his forehead was resting against the man’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been trying not to squirm and keep Yibo awake, but he’d obviously failed. In lieu of a direct answer, Xiao Zhan asked, “Are you tired, BoBo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t horny, </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly,</span>
  </em>
  <span> but he knew what would solve his problem pretty quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” Yibo questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think…” he said, his voice breathy in a way he knew sounded like a seductress in a b-roll porn film but he couldn’t seem to control it, “God, I really need you to fuck me right into this mattress.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s dick was so long it felt like it would hit the back of Xiao Zhan’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>teeth</span>
  </em>
  <span> when he fucked him. It was like being taken apart, blown to pieces from the inside out, and then put back together, stronger and more solid than before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what Xiao Zhan needed to get everything out of his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo groaned. His eyes opened, seeking him out in the dark and then widening when he saw the look in Xiao Zhan’s eyes. “Oh fuck, you are serious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please? Please, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> you,” Xiao Zhan begged, running his hands over the curves of Yibo’s shoulders and biceps. “Spare this poor man from his suffering.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge, you’ve got a long day tomorrow, right?” Yibo asked, though he turned in his arms to pull him closer. There was a hardness already beginning to press against Xiao Zhan’s stomach, and he wasted no time taking it in hand to encourage Yibo further, making him groan. “Is this a good idea? You need to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then wear me out,” Xiao Zhan crooned, nipping and licking at Yibo’s jaw before capturing his mouth in a wet kiss. “Fill me up and tear me apart. I want to feel you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled Yibo on top of him, yanking at his boxers impatiently. Yibo’s weight on his chest helped ground him, but he needed </span>
  <em>
    <span>more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuuuck…” The moan from Yibo’s mouth was a concession as he pressed him down, stealing the breath from Xiao Zhan’s lungs, and proceeded to give him everything he wanted and more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s brain came back online slowly, his nerves tingling like he’d had an out-of-body experience and was made of starlight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Jesus <strong>fuck</strong>, that was amazing…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A scuffling sound caught his attention, and he turned his head and opened his eyes, expecting to see Yibo coming back to bed with a towel to clean up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” Xiao Zhan asked, squinting against the light from the restroom. Yibo was quickly slipping on his clothes and shoes, yet neither of them bothered with clothes when they slept after sex. “Yibo?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you know my name now?” Yibo responded with a growl. Even in the dim light of the room, he could see the man was a thunderstorm, the incandescent light from the other room throwing his face into harsh lines and sharp relief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Xiao Zhan’s voice was timid, his mind spinning in confusion. Just minutes ago, they’d been having mind-blowing sex so amazing his head was still cloudy from the high, and now he was pissed off and </span>
  <em>
    <span>leaving?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to my room.” Yibo was definitely angry, but he was obviously trying to avoid a discussion. Xiao Zhan still had no idea what had happened, but he couldn’t let him just leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo always stayed. Since the day they’d gotten together, he’d never </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> stayed the night with him if they were in the same place. Cuddling with him was just as enjoyable as everything else they did, and even though they’d only been together for a few weeks, Xiao Zhan missed him on the nights when Yibo was out of town for work on other projects.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo, it’s late. Just stay,” he urged, trying to be convincing and not demanding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Xiao Zhan,</span>
  </em>
  <span> so nice of you to remember,” Yibo snarled. “My name is Wang Yibo, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lan Zhan.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maybe you could try to keep track of who’s actually fucking you so you’re not screaming the wrong name. Repeatedly, for the record. Or is your head so fucking messed up with your ‘method acting’ that you don’t know what’s real and what’s not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Did I…? Really? Ah — Fuuuuuck.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan shot upright in the bed, sheets pooling in his lap. “Yibo —”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No!” Yibo shouted, pointing a long finger at him. “I am not </span>
  <em>
    <span>him.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I love… l like you Xiao Zhan, but I’m not Lan Wangji. And if you can’t tell the difference, maybe we shouldn’t do this anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan had never seen him so angry. He was nearly shaking with it, and his eyes were shining with tears he was refusing to let fall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, </span>
  <em>
    <span>xiǎo gǒu</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he murmured, willing Yibo to read the sincerity in his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wanted to make excuses, explain he was just wrung out from filming and his brain was muddled. But that wasn’t what Yibo wanted to hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it wasn’t the truth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The truth was that ever since they’d started sleeping together, fact and fiction had become one swirling mass in his mind. And he’d done nothing to stop it, telling himself their chemistry on screen had gotten even better, so it didn’t matter. That the feelings so often overwhelming him were just character bleed — the soulmate bond of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji — not them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The truth was he was holding on so tightly to his heart because no matter how he looked at Yibo, whether on set or off, he was crazy about him in a way he’d never felt for anyone else. He’d realized just how easy it would be to give Yibo his heart, to trust him to protect it, but he didn’t trust </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself</span>
  </em>
  <span> not to hurt Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he was right to have doubts, because now he’d already done it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo shook his head sadly, then grabbed his phone from the charger and bolted out the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan laid back down with a sigh. He pulled Yibo’s pillow into his arms and pressed his face into it, inhaling the comforting scent he’d left behind. Xiao Zhan would have to make do with this for the night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And in the morning, he would have to do better.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>translations:<br/>xiǎo gǒu - puppy</p>
<p>If you've ever said the wrong name in bed, you know exactly how poorly that's taken... And if you haven't, pray you never do! :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Fight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yibo’s eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits. “You fucking love that you’re older than me. You know, for as much as you claim to be in Wei Ying’s head, you’re really not the same. <i>You</i> never let go completely.”</p><p>“What the hell does that mean?” Xiao Zhan’s brain spun, feeling slightly unsettled as Yibo turned the track of the conversation.</p><p>Yibo’s voice was honest but carefully controlled and neutral, as if he was purposefully trying to avoid provoking the older man’s temper. “You’re a perfectionist, and a control freak… and a bossy ass bottom.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My apologies for how long it took me to get this chapter out! I got busy with school starting, the creative juices were just not flowing very well, and it just wasn't all coming together the way I pictured it in my head. Thanks to all of you accosting me on Twitter and reminding me to get to work on this! :D</p><p>I should have titled this chapter "The course of true love never did run smooth" -- It's impossible for me to think there weren't a few bumps in the road, even during their perfect summer...</p><p>Thanks to Tee for the quick beta!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day after Yibo stormed out of his hotel room, Xiao Zhan didn’t see him at all. It wasn’t a completely rare occurrence — Yibo had other projects and responsibilities, and he was often away from the set for a few days at a time. But this time was different. </p><p>There was also radio silence.</p><p>He knew they had needed Yibo on set early to film some reshoots, and Xiao Zhan had become accustomed to waking up with multiple phone notifications providing a cheerful start to his day even when they weren’t sharing a call time. But today, there was no good morning message or handsome selfie or ridiculous meme to greet him. </p><p>By the time Xiao Zhan made it to the set, Yibo was already finished for the day and had taken off for his flight to Changsha for a <em> Tian Tian Xiang Shang </em> recording <em> . </em> When Xiao Zhan realized he’d left, he sent a text wishing him a safe flight. He missed what had become their little routine, the way he would often say a small prayer of safety over Yibo when he was flying off somewhere, and Yibo would roll his eyes and pretend to humor him but secretly enjoy the care and attention. </p><p>Xiao Zhan wasn’t a fool. He knew Yibo was angry, but he hoped he would take the text message as a peace offering and respond accordingly. Yet hours later there was still no answer, and Xiao Zhan was forced to stalk Yibo’s secret Weibo account, looking for some idea of what he might be up to. Unfortunately, although it seemed that he had logged on earlier in the day, there had been no activity since then.</p><p>The next day was the same. This time, Xiao Zhan sent a message asking Yibo if he’d seen a certain jacket. It was a ridiculously transparent and desperate attempt at reaching out, but having been the one responsible for their predicament, Xiao Zhan found it necessary to swallow his pride and wave a white flag.</p><p>Yibo ignored him.</p><p>By the time his co-star was finally due to return the following day, Xiao Zhan was waffling back and forth between being livid that Yibo was acting like a child about the situation and feeling guilty that he’d hurt him so badly. He convinced his assistant to coordinate with Yibo’s to carve out a time when he could corner him and force him to talk. They were both scheduled for long night shoots later, but they would be on completely different sets without much opportunity to interact. Which might be for the best — although Xiao Zhan wasn’t entirely sure how the conversation would go, it wasn’t something he wanted to have an audience for.</p><p>Luckily, they had just relocated to a new set in Guizhou for shooting. After a couple of days of a ridiculously long commute to the site, Xiao Zhan’s manager convinced production to find him a place to stay closer to the set. With the amount of time he’d be needed for filming the upcoming scenes, spending hours in a van just to get to the hotel would leave him with almost no time to sleep.</p><p>They’d gotten him a room in a very small but extremely nice establishment — an out of the way escape of sorts, far from the bustle of daily life. There was nothing at all nearby, not even a town large enough to support a coffee shop, but the chance to have even small periods of quiet away from the filming site was a blessing.</p><p>It was almost a shame he would have so little time to spend there, because his room was much nicer than any he’d stayed in previously for this particular drama. It had large windows and a balcony that looked out over a lush green forest, and a whirlpool tub large enough to hold two people. The thought of being able to soak in it at the end of a long day sounded glorious, but Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be forced to enjoy it alone.</p><p>Yibo also had a room at the boarding house, located directly across the building. </p><p><em> If he’s still refusing to talk to me, </em> Xiao Zhan thought sadly, <em> I guess I can at least wave to him from the balcony. </em></p><p>Somehow Liu Haikuan and Zhu Zanjin had ended up with the other two rooms — a curious occurrence that made Xiao Zhan wonder if they weren’t all being much less discreet than they thought they were. He wasn’t entirely <em> positive </em> that Kuan-ge and ZanZan were hooking up, but he would be a little surprised if they weren’t. Their characters in the script and the original novel hadn’t been written to give any BL vibes, yet every scene he’d been in with them held a static undercurrent of sexual tension. Xiao Zhan had a feeling that whether intended or not, their off-screen chemistry was bringing an additional element to the show, and the directors and staff were obviously happy to embrace it. The way they often looked at each other when they were killing time on set, or how ZanZan melted into Kuan-ge’s side as they both watched something on one of their phones, was kind of a dead giveaway.</p><p>And, if he was being honest with himself, he and Yibo were probably just as bad.</p><p>It almost seemed as if production had found this little lodge in the woods for them on purpose, allowing the show’s main “couples” to enjoy a little getaway for their short stint in Guizhou. Xiao Zhan just hoped he could settle things with Yibo, so they could actually enjoy the gift of extra privacy together.</p><p>A text from his PA let him know that Yibo was back and settling into his new room, and before he could even get out the door of his own to go talk to him, another text followed to remind him his transport would be there in twenty minutes. That didn’t leave much time for them to sort things out, but Xiao Zhan couldn’t stand the thought of putting it off any longer. His stomach was in knots as he made his way to Yibo’s room, his skin itching with guilt, frustration, and just <em> missing </em> the younger man. He hadn’t realized it until that moment, but since the day they’d begun work on the drama, he’d never gone so many days with absolutely no communication from Yibo.</p><p>Knocking on the door, he worried for a moment if Yibo would even open it. If he didn’t, Xiao Zhan resolved to give him space. It would kill him to be given the cold shoulder at this point, but he would have to wait until his co-star was willing. For as much as he was easy going, Yibo also wasn’t the type who liked to be forced into things.</p><p>Relief washed over him as the door swung open to reveal Yibo’s handsome face, staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. The plain white t-shirt and track pants he wore were just a little too large for him, probably due to the weight he’d lost over the past few months. He was rumpled from the recent travel, his light hair sticking up at odd angles, making him look even more like a soft stuffed animal. </p><p>Xiao Zhan had to physically resist the urge to pull the man into his arms and just hold him. The desire to make everything better when Yibo gave even a hint of a pout overwhelmed him for a moment.</p><p>“Hey,” Yibo greeted him flatly, his voice low and sounding tired. There were bags under his eyes, and Xiao Zhan wondered if the poor man had been too busy to get any sleep since he’d last seen him days ago.</p><p>“Hey,” Xiao Zhan said quietly. “Can I come in?”</p><p>Yibo didn’t respond, but opened the door wider and stepped aside, letting him in and closing the door behind him. Xiao Zhan glanced around, noticing the room was similar to his own, if slightly smaller and without the large tub. He turned back and their eyes caught, just staring at each other in silence for a second. </p><p>Yibo crossed his arms, looking at Xiao Zhan expectantly.</p><p>Xiao Zhan sighed and looked away. “We should talk.”</p><p>Something in Yibo’s slightly icy facade seemed to crack, and his face dropped as he moved closer to Xiao Zhan.</p><p>“I’m sorry I didn’t answer your messages,” Yibo said, sounding small and submissive in a way that rankled something in the back of Xiao Zhan’s brain. “I just… I was angry. And I didn’t really know what to say.”</p><p>His demeanor lit a match to the temper that had been simmering in Xiao Zhan for days. It usually didn’t bother him that Yibo consistently backed off and refused to challenge him. He was younger, and that was expected. But in this case, considering what Xiao Zhan had said and <em> when </em> he’d said it, Yibo really shouldn’t have felt like there was unequal footing between them.</p><p>And it pissed him off that Yibo would defer to him even when something really did aggravate him. The man was his friend, his co-star - his lover - not his pet. He couldn’t help but be angry that he should be the one apologizing, yet Yibo was the one doing it. While their age difference was something Xiao Zhan had struggled with and tried to overlook, the power imbalance between them was something he could no longer stomach.</p><p>“Well, stop being a fucking child!” Xiao Zhan barked. “We can’t work through a problem if you won’t even <em> talk </em> to me.”</p><p>In truth, if the situation were reversed, Xiao Zhan would probably be just as likely to freeze out the younger man. He was well aware of his temper but disliked arguing with others. But he couldn’t help picking a fight, or trying to — anything to get Yibo to act more like himself and less like a kicked puppy.</p><p>His eyes narrowed with fire, yet as easy as it was to get Yibo to swing back when they were throwing hands with each other on set, he didn’t seem as inclined to use his words to the same effect.</p><p>“I was wrong,” Yibo conceded before they’d even begun to argue. His eyes looked down at the carpet, avoiding Xiao Zhan’s gaze. “I should be more… understanding of what you’re going through.”</p><p>“Why does that sound like something someone else told you to say?” Xiao Zhan asked, his voice like a knife, arms crossed over his chest in a defensive stance. It would have been smarter to accept the apology, but he hated the fact that Yibo didn’t sound like himself. He was being too timid, afraid to fight with him in a way he’d not been since the very first weeks of filming. Acid churned in his stomach at the thought of Yibo talking about him with one of his friends while he’d been away. His voice turned low and icy. “Who did you talk to?”</p><p>“Da-laoshi,” Yibo answered immediately. His eyes went wide in surprise — Xiao Zhan’s tone. “He said that —”</p><p>“You told him about us??” Xiao Zhan panicked, fear and betrayal clear in his tone. “Wang Yibo, I can’t believe you would —”</p><p>“Don’t be fucking stupid,” Yibo cut him off, his deep voice cutting like a sword as he defended himself. “I didn’t mention your name. But he’s a friend, a really good gege, and he has a way of forcing things out of me when he can tell something is bothering me. So yeah… We talked. And you can <em> fuck off </em> if that’s not ok with you.”</p><p>The harshness of his words hit Xiao Zhan like a fist, making him stumble back until his legs hit the edge of the bed, and he sat down abruptly in defeat. “I didn’t mean… That’s not what I… Of course, you can talk to your friends. I would never say that.”</p><p>“Do you talk to your friends about <em> me?” </em></p><p>He hadn’t. In all honesty, there were less than a handful of people who even knew he had an interest in men, and he’d barely exchanged messages with any of them since production began. This thing with Yibo was new, and most likely temporary, and it hadn’t even occurred to him to mention it to any of his friends.</p><p>Yibo must have read the answer on his face, because he didn’t wait for a response.</p><p>“Da-laoshi is the only person I work with that knows I’m gay,” Yibo said, his face resigned with sadness. He moved the few steps to the bed to sit down beside Xiao Zhan, avoiding his gaze. “I’m <em> not </em> ashamed of it. But I’m not dumb enough to advertise it, either. I know how the world works, Zhan-ge. I would never out you.”</p><p>“Of course. Of course you wouldn’t,” Xiao Zhan said softly, reaching out to place a hand on top of Yibo’s.</p><p>“I don’t know how to do this,” Yibo admitted. “How to be <em> involved </em> with someone. I don’t want to screw it up.”</p><p>“You’re not screwing anything up,” Xiao Zhan replied. “I’m doing that myself. You had every right to be angry at me.”</p><p>“No, I should have thought about why it happened,” Yibo insisted. “I know you get more into your role and in your head about acting than I do, and I respect that —”</p><p>“This is what I’m talking about!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed. “Would you just stop rolling over and baring your belly for once?”</p><p>“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“Stop treating me like… Like a gege all the time!”</p><p>“Oh, that’s rich,” Yibo smirked. His eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits. “You fucking love that you’re older than me. You know, for as much as you claim to be in Wei Ying’s head, you’re really <em> not </em> the same. <em> You </em> never let go completely.”</p><p>“What the hell does that mean?” Xiao Zhan’s brain spun, feeling slightly unsettled as Yibo turned the track of the conversation. But they <em> did </em> need to talk about what caused the argument in the first place, so he couldn’t exactly fault Yibo for bringing it up.</p><p>Only, like many things, Yibo surprised him with the angle he took. “In the book… Wei Ying is like, submissive to Lan Wangji, right?”</p><p>Xiao Zhan blinked, unsure of the point the man was trying to make. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. Definitely in bed.”</p><p>Yibo chuckled darkly. “Yeah, that’s not like you at <em> all.” </em></p><p>“Um, I don’t know if you paid attention, but I haven’t spent a lot of time on top when we’ve been together.”</p><p>“You don’t have to stick your dick in someone to be in charge, Zhan-ge,” Yibo explained. His voice was honest but carefully controlled and neutral, as if he was purposefully trying to avoid provoking the older man’s temper. “You’re a perfectionist, and a control freak… and a bossy ass bottom.”</p><p>Xiao Zhan sputtered at the audacity of his co-star. “What the fuck?”</p><p>But it was true when he thought about it. Yibo <em> did </em> do whatever Xiao Zhan wanted. In bed and often otherwise. They took care of each other, looked out for each other at work, but Yibo was always so eager to please that it never occurred to Xiao Zhan what was happening.</p><p>He was the lead of the show, one of the oldest in the cast, and Yibo’s senior by six years. At some point, he’d completely taken for granted that he could also be “in charge” in their relationship. It began to dawn on Xiao Zhan that perhaps <em> he </em> was the reason their relationship felt so unequal — he took control, and Yibo let him.</p><p>“You couldn’t go two days of having to defer to me on everything,” Yibo said with a laugh that broke the tension in the room. “It would kill you.”</p><p>Xiao Zhan huffed defiantly, his pride injured. “Bet.”</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“I bet you’re wrong,” Xiao Zhan said with a haughty air. </p><p>It was a great idea. If he wanted Yibo to behave like an equal, he needed to let him. Plus, he couldn’t argue that the thought of Yibo being in charge of him, especially in the bedroom, was a huge turn on. His head began to spin with ideas immediately. His face warmed and his pulse raced just thinking about it.</p><p>“Please,” Yibo scoffed. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “What do I get when I win?”</p><p>“<em> When </em> you win? Don’t you think that’s a little overconfident?”</p><p>Yibo stared him down with a flat look. “I’ve met you, Zhan-ge.”</p><p>“I’m not that bossy!”</p><p>“So what do I get when I win?”</p><p>“I don’t know, what do you want?”</p><p>Yibo’s expression turned thoughtful for a moment. “I’m not sure. Maybe just a favor. Something I can call in whenever I want to.”</p><p>“That seems a little too easy,” Xiao Zhan argued. “It’s not like I wouldn’t help you out any time you needed it, anyway.”</p><p>Regardless of what happened between them once shooting ended, Xiao Zhan expected they would keep in touch. Or, he hoped so, at least. He had managed to remain on friendly terms with nearly everyone he’d dated in the past, and already he couldn’t bear the thought of losing Yibo’s presence in his life completely.</p><p>“Still,” Yibo said thoughtfully. “Maybe it will come in handy. Unless you want to buy me a motorcycle?”</p><p>Big, brown eyes stared at him as Yibo’s head tilted just so into that puppy dog look that made every gege in his life melt like butter in his hands. Xiao Zhan fought the urge to kiss him senseless and resisted the manipulation with every fiber of his self-control.</p><p>“Hell, no,” Xiao Zhan smacked him on the arm. “What do I get if I win?”</p><p>Yibo laughed, bright and booming, a smile lighting up his face that made Xiao Zhan’s heart stutter in his chest. The boy was just too beautiful sometimes. “You’re not going to win.”</p><p>He was so fucking confident, Xiao Zhan almost believed it himself.</p><p>“I might!” he insisted indignantly.</p><p>“Fine. Do <em> you </em> want a motorcycle?” Yibo asked, grinning with a glint in his eye that Xiao Zhan knew meant trouble.</p><p>“You can’t buy me a motorcycle,” Xiao Zhan said, rolling his eyes and shoving at Yibo’s shoulder playfully.</p><p>“I mean, I <em> could,” </em> Yibo argued with a smile.</p><p>“Ugh! You’re such a brat!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed. He reached over to smack him, pushing Yibo over onto his back on the bed in the process. His body followed instinctively, climbing over top of the younger man to cage him with his hands and legs.</p><p>He couldn’t help but smile brightly, mirroring the man trapped beneath him. When Yibo smiled, open and full of life, it warmed Xiao Zhan to his core. This was how Yibo should always look — happy. Xiao Zhan promised himself that for as long as he got to keep him, he would work hard to keep that smile in place.</p><p>“God, I missed you,” Xiao Zhan murmured, the honesty slipping out as his gaze was trapped in the beautiful brown gaze before him. </p><p>Yibo tugged him down for a sweet kiss, quickly turning heated as Xiao Zhan tilted his head to press deeper with his tongue. The taste of Yibo’s mouth, the subtle scent of his cologne, the feel of his velvety soft lips against his own all overwhelmed Xiao Zhan’s sense, like a tidal wave of sensation that pulled him under and blocked out everything else.</p><p>The ease with which he could let himself drown in this man was like nothing else he’d ever encountered in his life. Kissing Yibo, pressed against his strong, solid warmth, everything else melted away. All the scattered thoughts in his mind, the tasks and responsibilities that needed to be attended to, it all blew away on the summer breeze when he was with him. As if Yibo’s light took up too much space in his head, and there simply wasn’t room for anything else.</p><p>Unfortunately, the rest of the world just wouldn’t disappear completely.</p><p>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo murmured against his lips as Xiao Zhan’s hands slipped under his shirt to slide along his ribcage.</p><p>“Mmmnn,” Xiao Zhan responded, half in question, half pleasurable moan.</p><p>“Zhan-ge, someone’s knocking.” Yibo’s hands halted the movement of Xiao Zhan’s, as they wandered the length of his skin. “And I think your phone is ringing?”</p><p>Xiao Zhan bolted up in shock. He hadn’t heard any of the sounds Yibo was talking about, but once he put a bit of space between them, his ears were suddenly filled with the incessant noise.</p><p>“Ah, fuck!” he said as he pulled his phone from his pocket, seeing the time and the flood of messages from his assistant. The knocking on the door stopped abruptly, but the phone began to ring again in his hand. He answered it quickly. “YiYi, I’m SO sorry!”</p><p>“Oh my god, Xiao Zhan, thank god,” YiYi said, her voice shrill with panic. “I’m so sorry to bother you. I… I didn’t know what else to do! The van is waiting — I stalled as long as I could —”</p><p>“I’m sorry, it’s my fault,” Xiao Zhan said quickly, prying his body away from Yibo and off the bed.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” YiYi said again, as if he hadn’t spoken. “If I don’t get you there soon, I’m going to be in big trouble, and I don’t want to lose this job —”</p><p>“YiYi, it’s fine. It’s my fault,” Xiao Zhan assured her. “You won’t be in any trouble. I was the one who… lost track of time.”</p><p>He glanced at Yibo, who was still sprawled on the bed and smirking at him with a knowing look.</p><p>“We have to GO, Xiao Zhan!” YiYi exclaimed. A loud bang on the door gave extra emphasis to her statement.</p><p>“Ok, ok! I’ll be right there,” he said, adjusting the slight stiffness in his pants and cursing the effect Yibo had on him. “I just need, um, two minutes.”</p><p>“Fine, I’ll meet you down at the car,” she replied. “But I don’t need to remind you that if you’re not there very soon, someone <em> else </em> will come looking for you!”</p><p>His PA was sweet and naïve — and discreet, if nothing else. No, he really <em> didn’t </em> want anyone else dragging him out of Yibo’s room in the state he was probably in, if Yibo’s swollen lips and flushed face were any indication of his own appearance.</p><p>“Two minutes. Promise,” Xiao Zhan said, then ended the call and ran to the bathroom to throw some cold water on his face.</p><p>After patting it dry with a towel, he nearly ran into Yibo in the hallway outside the bathroom door. </p><p>“Don’t I get a kiss goodbye?” Yibo asked. The trademark pout was in full effect for a moment, before Yibo broke, bursting into a bright smile.</p><p>“I’m so late,” Xiao Zhan complained, but still grabbed Yibo’s face with two hands to kiss him one more time. “Have a good day, baby.”</p><p>He turned and rushed out the door, running down the hallway and nearly tripping on the stairs.</p><p>The slipped use of the term of endearment didn’t even occur to Xiao Zhan until he was settled quietly in the van and on his way to work, staring out at the forest and remembering the tingle of Yibo’s lips on his. A tightness clenched in his chest, a brief second of panic, before logic set in and reminded him that Yibo probably wouldn’t take it too seriously.</p><p>If only Xiao Zhan could manage to convince his own head and heart to do the same. As the weeks went by, and their time together shortened, he worried about how this summer fling would end. It was only getting harder and harder to believe he would come out of it in one piece, and there was a very good chance his heart would not escape unscathed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Part of the reason this chapter was such a struggle is because I just can't see these two staying mad at each other. I feel like XZ is probably very explosive but regretful, and Yibo seems like he'd be the opposite -- easy going and slow to anger, but when he does, it's lethal. They're such a good balance, it's hard to imagine a major fight!</p><p>Let me know what you think! Was Yibo being too much of a pushover? Was XZ being too 'in his head' about everything? (The answer to that one -- in this fic -- is always "yes"! lol)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Love Nest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Xiao Zhan is struggling with a severe case of "horny". He's got work to do and a bet to win, and he's only going to be successful at ONE of them.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>They had a relatively light filming schedule for the day, broken up with an interview they would be doing together, and a reasonable wrap time planned in the evening. Xiao Zhan was definitely looking forward to the two of them picking up where they’d been forced to stop the day before. If he could manage to make it through the entire day without dragging Yibo into a dark corner and mauling him, Xiao Zhan would consider it a success.</p>
</blockquote>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First things first -- MIND THE UPDATED RATING and tags!</p>
<p>Also, I'm so sorry for the length of time it's taken to get this out! I got distracted by a few other fic ideas (which you may have read) and this chapter was more of a struggle than normal. Luckily, I got hit with a LOT of bts videos over the last week that delivered a lot of inspiration! If you've seen them, you'll probably notice a few tidbits sprinkled in here. If you haven't, this should give you a pretty good idea :) If it's any consolation, this chapter is pretty long, so hopefully that makes up a little for the wait!</p>
<p>God bless the jiejies that gave us the 'manhandling' video, because even though I mostly had the "Dominant Yibo" parts of this written, that provided a whole NEXT LEVEL for my imagination :D</p>
<p>And thanks as always to OverthinkingThis for the quick awesome beta read!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aside from the much-too-brief meeting they’d had the day before to resolve things, it had been nearly a week since Xiao Zhan had spent any significant time alone with Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it was starting to wear on him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In just a few short weeks, he’d gotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> used to having a partner around to relieve his tension. Jerking off in the shower to thoughts of Yibo was a far cry from actually having the man’s hands on him, and it was leaving Xiao Zhan in a mood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In short, he was horny as hell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had a relatively light filming schedule for the day, broken up with an interview they would be doing together, and a reasonable wrap time planned in the evening. Xiao Zhan was definitely looking forward to the two of them picking up where they’d been forced to stop the day before. If he could manage to make it through the entire day without dragging Yibo into a dark corner and mauling him, Xiao Zhan would consider it a success.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thoughts of the gremlin seemed to conjure him out of thin air as Yibo dropped gracefully into the chair beside him. Even bare faced with messy hair and a wrinkled t-shirt, Wang Yibo looked adorable. A tiny cinder of desire burst to life in Xiao Zhan’s gut, and he dragged his eyes away from the beautiful man and forced away the thought of licking the sharp edge of his jaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Damn, it was going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long</span>
  </em>
  <span> day if he couldn’t get his libido in check.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Lao Xiao,” Yibo’s voice rumbled in a pleasant, and surprisingly professional, greeting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan acknowledged, only giving a slight tilt of his head to avoid disturbing the artist behind him who was arranging his wig. “How was your call?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a late night of filming the previous day, they’d made no attempt to contact each other, instead each falling into their own beds for the few short hours of sleep they’d been granted before the early call time this morning. Xiao Zhan had been surprised to see Yibo missing from the van headed to their first location, but one of the production assistants informed him that Yibo needed to take a conference call first thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” Yibo answered, fishing for something in his bag while his own makeup artist began fussing with his hair to ready it for his wig. “Just some business stuff. Money management, contracts for my next project. You know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mnn,” Xiao Zhan replied. He’d been around long enough now to have some idea of the types of things Yibo was dealing with, but he was sure the complexity and numbers involved in managing Yibo’s career were a far cry from anything he’d ever seen himself. For being only twenty years old, the younger man already had a number of different regular jobs and income streams. Xiao Zhan assumed that between hosting a show, modeling, his band, and steady drama work, Wang Yibo had little to worry about when it came to money.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan wished the same could be said for himself. It seemed like his own company was always finding ways to screw him out of most of his paycheck. But he had signed the contract, and there was little he could do about it now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s dark eyes gave him an assessing look. “Did you eat today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I woke up late,” Xiao Zhan answered, turning his gaze to the mirror to avoid Yibo’s keen brown eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His co-star had been concerned for the last few months about Xiao Zhan’s weight loss, and when they’d begun sleeping together, there was no hiding the fact that he was well under a healthy weight. Yibo seemed to take Xiao Zhan’s visible rib cage as a personal affront. Now, he often went out of his way to bring food and snacks to set, trying to coerce him into eating as if Xiao Zhan was a pet that needed to be nursed back to health.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just as Yibo was now doing, with the bag of crackers he held out in Xiao Zhan’s direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eat,” Yibo encouraged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was sweet. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was.</span>
  </em>
  <span> But if he ate everything Yibo put in front of him, Xiao Zhan </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> gain weight and that was something he didn’t want to deal with. He’d found out very quickly that in the entertainment industry, it was always better to be too thin than not thin enough. Xiao Zhan had worked hard to fit the necessary mold when he joined the X-Fire show, dropping weight quickly so he would look better on screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was self-reflective enough to recognize that he’d developed some… issues… with food and his weight over the last couple of years. He was scared of gaining weight. And while he knew that wasn’t a good mindset, there was no escaping the body shape required for period costumes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan said with a bright smile, trying to put him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eat,” Yibo said again, shoving the crackers into Xiao Zhan’s lap. “Old men need to keep up their strength.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not hungry, Yibo,” he said, picking up the bag and attempting to hand it back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s face morphed into a snide smile. “Does this mean I win already? Wow, Xiao-laoshi is worse than I thought! The day has barely begun!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck. The bet. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’d almost forgotten about it completely after the long day that followed their conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He should have known Yibo would be mindful of a competition, and his gleeful crowing was too much for Xiao Zhan to battle with so early in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Fine! You’re right, you’re right, Lao Wang,” he said with an exaggerated air as he opened the bag. “I forgot I’m at your mercy today.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He popped a cracker into his mouth with a flourish, looking at Yibo from the corner of his eye with an unamused smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His devil of a co-star smiled as if he’d won a prize, and Xiao Zhan munched on a few more crackers as his makeup was applied. When the artist ran off to go get a different brush, he set the half-empty bag of snacks on the little table in front of the mirror. He looked down at his phone to scroll through his WeChat and then back up as a shadow covered the screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s hand held out the opened and unfinished snack bag, his brow arched in an expectant challenge. “Eat, Ge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yiiiiboooo!” He could not contain the childish whine that escaped, part frustration, part a desperate attempt to shut down the game Yibo was playing before he realized just how much power he could wield over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have I won?” Yibo’s face was cold and serious, channeling a certain </span>
  <em>
    <span>not-to-be-fucked-with Hanguang-Jun</span>
  </em>
  <span> energy. He stepped closer, too close, and Xiao Zhan had to crane his neck back to see him from his place trapped in the chair. Yibo’s voice pitched low as he added, “You will eat, or I will win.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A shiver shot down Xiao Zhan’s spine and curled into a pocket of warmth in his stomach. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, and reached for the bag, careful not to touch Yibo’s hand in the process. Yibo being demanding was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> doing something for him, and he feared any direct contact would light a dangerous spark. He was already fighting with the awkward hard-on threatening to tent his pants, and Yibo was doing nothing but </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking</span>
  </em>
  <span> at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Licking his lips, his gaze steady as if he’d like to eat Xiao Zhan for breakfast, but still just looking nonetheless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan grabbed the bag, threw a cracker in his mouth, and tore his eyes away from the beautiful man tormenting him before he could do something monumentally stupid like pull him into his lap in the middle of the makeup room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go away, Lao Wang!” he said. He was saved from any argument by the return of the artist, back to finish his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After their makeup was done and wigs applied, they were dressed in their costumes and then whisked off to a nearby hotel room for the interview. Once they got into the room and greeted the staff they would be speaking with, Yibo decided to be difficult about their seating arrangement, sitting to the left side of the couch near the window — with the best lighting, </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He refused to budge when Xiao Zhan tried to get him to move over, instead forcing a quick game of rock, paper, scissors. He declared himself the victor before Xiao Zhan even caught onto the game, forcing him into the spot Yibo had wanted him to use in the first place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> was what deferring to Yibo was going to be like.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, it doesn’t mean I have to make it easy on him! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Xiao Zhan thought as the stylist finished fixing his wig. If he was feeling… flustered, there was a good chance Yibo was, too. And if not, Xiao Zhan planned to make him that way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan looked at the interviewer and asked, “Will you see my legs on the screen?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” she answered. “Only the upper body will be seen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan began to lift up his skirts, under the pretense of being overheated. From the corner of his eye, he watched Yibo, whose gaze immediately caught onto the movement and stared as his legs were revealed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan couldn’t contain the small smile that slipped across his face. He knew how much Yibo liked his long, lean legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow,” Yibo’s deep voice commented as he looked away and up at the interviewer to see her reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman blushed and indicated he might want to keep the edge of his skirt covering his shorts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t flash people,” Yibo instructed under his breath. “What’s wrong with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not flashing anyone!” Xiao Zhan argued, but pulled the skirt back down to a reasonable level.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d already gotten a reaction from the person he was aiming for, anyway. He let out a puff of breath, trying to prepare for whatever questions might be coming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo looked over at him. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan said in answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you call me?” Yibo asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Wang.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Xiao,” Yibo retorted out of habit. “Did you forget?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Forget what?” Xiao Zhan asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bet,” Yibo answered, as if there weren’t three other people in the room with them. “Be good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan gave him an incredulous look and pursed his lips. He looked over and saw the red light on the camera go on again, deciding perhaps it would be easiest to play the victim in the power struggle they’d begun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You beat me up every day,” Xiao Zhan pointed out. “You scold me every day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who beat who?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo,” he said, as if to discourage him from beginning an argument in front of the cameras.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo wasn’t deterred and responded quickly, “Who beat who?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo,” Xiao Zhan said again, just enjoying the way his name rolled over his tongue. He paused and looked down, pretending to examine his hands. “I’ve got scars.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who beat who?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan huffed and then glanced over at him. “You beat me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say it again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan sighed in defeat, knowing what Yibo wanted and reluctantly giving in. Barely audible, he answered, “I beat you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was sure there was a self-satisfied smirk on Yibo’s face, but he refused to look at it. He would want to kiss it off his face, and there was already a low thrum of tension buzzing between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The interview began with a question about a scene they’d done with each other that impressed them, and Xiao Zhan couldn’t help being a bit of a brat. Yibo was too much of a professional to call him out while they were working and in front of cameras, so he was able to play coy and teased him a bit. Xiao Zhan brought up a scene they’d filmed where Yibo had tripped, knowing he would be irked and defend himself. The man couldn’t stand to look bad at doing anything physical.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve already started, have you?” Yibo asked him with a smile after Xiao Zhan laughed and made fun of him in front of the interviewer. “You’re starting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo couldn’t resist explaining the very good reason why he’d fallen, determined to save face. Yet when Yibo was asked to discuss a scene he’d done with his co-star, he didn’t retaliate with an embarrassing story, but instead went off on a tangent about how Xiao Zhan was such a great actor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was so over the top with his compliments that Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but laugh. He tried to help by talking about one of the scenes where Yibo had needed to cry, but then he just </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get in another dig at the younger man by telling the woman about how Yibo had regaled the other actors with footage of the scene his assistant had taken with his phone. They bantered back and forth a bit until Yibo mentioned that he liked the scene he’d had to do in the rain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was holding the umbrella, and I put it down. The rain fell in my face. I couldn’t breathe,” Yibo explained. “It was so cool.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An image flashed through Xiao Zhan’s mind of the last time they’d been together in bed, when Yibo had placed Xiao Zhan’s hands around his throat and told him he liked it like that. Amusement overwhelmed Xiao Zhan, and he couldn’t stop an audible snort of laughter. He recovered quickly as the interviewer tried to clarify their answer. They wound up bickering back and forth again about Yibo’s penchant for using his phone to show off to his co-workers, until they both looked at each other, realizing simultaneously that they probably sounded like an old married couple.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both quickly focused back on the woman before them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next question was about identifying each other’s strengths and weaknesses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid we’ll get into a fight here!” Xiao Zhan said with a laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo looked at the interviewer very seriously. “Xiao-laoshi’s strength is that he doesn’t have any weaknesses. Xiao-laoshi’s weakness is that he has too many strengths.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan giggled at him uncontrollably as Yibo grinned in victory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later, they were asked about the ways they were similar to their roles. Xiao Zhan gave his own opinion about Yibo and Lan Wangji — they both came across as cold and aloof, but Yibo wasn’t at all that way when you got to know him. Then he admitted that he himself had a tendency to be naughty with his friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like Wei Wuxian?” The interviewer asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, yes,” he agreed, and Yibo chimed in to echo him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think Xiao-laoshi is </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> naughty and mischievous,” Yibo added, and Xiao Zhan grinned and squirmed in his seat. Yibo seemed to be making a veiled comment about his co-star’s approach to the interview so far, and that Xiao Zhan knew he would definitely be hearing about it later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t help it though — there was just </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> about throwing Yibo off his game. Every time Xiao Zhan coaxed a smile out of him, it felt like a win. Wearing the wig and Wei Wuxian’s robes, Xiao Zhan naturally fell a bit into character, especially when Yibo was in costume as well and being stoic and serious like Lan Wangji.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Wang Yibo blindsided him with his next comment, saying something about Xiao Zhan’s “sweet smiles” and how they made him appear more like his character. The man’s face was so earnest and adorable, with the Lan clan headband on his forehead sitting just a </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch</span>
  </em>
  <span> crooked, that Xiao Zhan had to physically restrain himself from launching into Yibo’s lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, he sat on his hands and let out a sigh, hoping it came across as fond frustration and not of the (more factual) sexual kind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they were done with their joint questions, Yibo stepped out to take a break and return some messages while Xiao Zhan took questions alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inevitably, the conversation turned to his age — a topic that seemed to come up often given his late start in the industry and the large gap between himself and his co-star.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, I feel crisis every day,” he said honestly when asked if he worried about the younger entertainers constantly entering the industry. “There are new talents every day, and I am so old, right? And the wigs ruin my hairline, so of course, I worry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed as an image popped into his mind of himself with a balding head chasing after young idols and trying to keep up. Over the last few years, he’d gotten used to being one of the oldest on every stage and set, so it didn’t really bother him. His experience often gave him a better perspective from which to view various situations and the higher ranking staff who controlled his career.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He admitted to the interviewer that he didn’t mind people mentioning his age, adding that Yibo often joked and teased him about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t hurt your feelings?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I feel very good,” he replied, reaching around to rub his knuckles into the base of back. “I’ve lived six years longer than him. Those six years were not in vain, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He bit his lip, nodding as he thought about the type of “wisdom” he’d been imparting to Yibo recently and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>lessons</span>
  </em>
  <span> that he hoped would be occurring later that night, now that they had worked through things.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ate much more than him?” The interviewer asked, not picking up on, or more likely purposefully ignoring, the suggestion in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just hummed and smiled in agreement, his top teeth still firmly planted in his bottom lip as he tried to keep himself focused on the task at hand and not those he had planned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan collapsed onto the bed, stretching himself out like a cat and arching his back until the vertebrae popped. He let out a sigh of relief, allowing himself a few minutes to relax as the cool air from the room danced over the skin of his arms and legs, still warm and damp from the shower. Any other day, he would just fall asleep in exhaustion, but there was no danger of that at the moment. He was much too keyed up to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the day of filming that followed their morning interviews had been long and mostly grueling due to the oppressive heat. Luckily, he and Yibo wrapped their scenes early enough to grab a quick meal and return to their quaint lodging with a few hours of the evening left to themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before Xiao Zhan heard the expected knock at his door, and he eased himself up and across the large room to answer it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Yibo greeted, barely glancing at Xiao Zhan before strolling into his room like he owned the place. In fairness, cocky and confident was Wang Yibo’s default setting, so it was not a surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan noticed the small bag he carried and broke into a tiny smile — although they hadn’t discussed anything, it seemed they shared the same plan for the evening if Yibo was planning to sleep over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dropped the bag against the wall and plopped down on the end of the bed, gazing at Xiao Zhan expectantly. His white t-shirt seemed to make his pale skin glow, bringing a brightness to his face. Yibo pushed his light brown hair away from where it was flopping across his forehead in a move Xiao Zhan knew was well practiced, yet still made his breath catch in his throat at the sheer beauty of the man before him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you eat?” Yibo asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes. “You saw me eat just an hour ago. Did you forget?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Yeah,” Yibo replied, unbothered. “What’s your plan for the night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Xiao Zhan said coquettishly, stepping over to stand directly in front of Yibo. “I thought you were the one calling all the shots today, Wang-laoshi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah — that’s right!” Yibo said with a wicked smile, reaching up to place his hands around Xiao Zhan’s waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> a little strange, Xiao Zhan realized with a start. There was an urge burning in him to take control, to push Yibo onto the bed and take what he wanted. That was normally how things went between them, with Yibo acquiescing to all of his desires. But tonight, he had to be patient and follow Yibo’s lead, and a sharp thrill of anticipation ran through him at the idea of being bent to his will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be careful not to break me, laoban,” Xiao Zhan purred, his voice low and sultry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s eyes darkened, his grip tightening as he licked his lips, and Xiao Zhan’s cock twitched against the loose fabric of his basketball shorts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No promises, Zhan-ge,” Yibo said roughly, grabbing the bottom of Xiao Zhan’s t-shirt and pulling it over his head in one swift motion as he stood up, pressing himself tightly against him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Xiao Zhan could blink, Yibo’s large hand had wrapped around the back of his head tightly, pulling him into a wet, filthy kiss, his tongue plundering and exploring Xiao Zhan’s mouth like he was determined to find all the secrets it might be keeping. His other hand ran down Xiao Zhan’s side, smoothing along his rib cage, and slid back and down under the waistband of his shorts to palm the cheek of Xiao Zhan’s ass. The older man couldn’t help the moan that escaped, pushing forward to grind his quickly hardening dick against the solid muscle of Yibo’s body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan broke away from the kiss with a gasp, pleasure coursing up his spine. His shorts were pulled down before Yibo spun them, and he was being pushed backwards onto the bed. Xiao Zhan scuttled backward toward the middle of the mattress, reaching out a hand toward Yibo eagerly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come here,” he whined. “I want — ”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Yibo said decisively with a shake of his head. “I’m in charge, remember? You’ll get whatever I give you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And fuck — </span>
  <em>
    <span>holy fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was hot. Yibo’s dark eyes glittered at him in the dim light of the room as he towered over him, still standing at the end of the bed. His gaze raked over Xiao Zhan’s naked form as if inspecting it, and the effect was intimidating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan grabbed his dick and began to stroke it at a languid pace, hoping that by putting on a show he could goad Yibo into joining him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop.” Yibo commanded, his deep voice forceful and not to be questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s hand fled back to fist the bedsheet in a flash, while he stared at the formidable figure before him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the side. He stood, firm and solid, and Xiao Zhan was suddenly reminded of home — the vision of an unmoving mountain, pale in the moonlight. Yibo’s serious expression and stance were so very reminiscent of Lan Wangji that Xiao Zhan had to resist the urge to cower as an aura of power wrapped around the young man like a cape. But the hooded eyes and predatory expression were all Yibo. He licked his lips, as if deciding Xiao Zhan was a worthy meal, and shucked the rest of his clothes onto the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan gripped the sheets tightly as Yibo crawled onto the bed and kneeled above him.  Resisting the urge to touch him was a feat of willpower, with the smooth curves of muscle and bone within easy reach. He’d become used to being allowed to do whatever he wanted to Yibo, to touch however he pleased, and he was lost now that he was denied that freedom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, Zhan-ge,” Yibo whispered as he leaned in for a chaste kiss. “You’re always so good. Now you’re going to be good for </span>
  <em>
    <span>me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was already hard and leaking against Xiao Zhan’s stomach, and when he shifted to get his knees under Xiao Zhan’s legs, their cocks slid against each other with a delicious friction that sent heat bursting through his core. Xiao Zhan bit his bottom lip, but a whimper still escaped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo reached over to the bedside drawer and pulled out supplies, tossing a condom on the bed and snapping open the cap of the lube. In seconds his fingers were slick, his other hand running in a soothing pattern up and down the length of Xiao Zhan’s thigh like the touch was a warm up to the one coming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he could reach down to start the process, Xiao Zhan warned, “I’m ready… I already prepped —” Two big, slick fingers slid right inside him, wasting no time and punching the breath from Xiao Zhan’s lungs. “— Unnngh! In the shower.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well… aren’t you eager?” An almost evil grin took over Yibo’s face as his fingers pushed into Xiao Zhan’s hole and quickly added a third, his movements just a little harder and more relentless than normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck…” Xiao Zhan panted and squirmed beneath him as fingers twisted and hit the spot that made him gasp as tiny pinprick stars erupted behind his closed eyes. “I’m ready! Yibo! Don’t tease.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just can’t help it, can you?” Yibo commented, as if discussing the weather. He was in total control, not at all eager and rushing like normal. The only indication Yibo was remotely affected was his large, stiff cock standing at attention like a soldier waiting to be called into action. His fingers slipped free, leaving Xiao Zhan gaping and empty, and then Yibo pinched his nipple - hard. He followed it with his mouth, soothing the abused bud with his tongue and making Xiao Zhan keen in the process. Sitting back up to smile down at him, Yibo teased, “You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>such</span>
  </em>
  <span> a bossy ass.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Indignant, Xiao Zhan stared at him with his mouth hung open. The gall of this boy never ceased to amaze him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo slid the hand palming Xiao Zhan’s thigh up along his chest, sticking two fingers into his mouth and pressing the pads into his tongue. “You looked like you needed something in there to keep you quiet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan blinked in surprise and then bit gently into the fingers, playfully baring his teeth at the mouthy boy. Deciding offense was a better defense, he sucked the large digits into his mouth, running his tongue along them and watching Yibo’s dick twitch in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fingers quickly escaped, and he watched as Yibo slid the condom on his exceptional length. It wasn’t the first time they’d done this, but Xiao Zhan was still a little impressed with himself that he could even take something that size. Yibo’s large hand stroked up the back of his thigh, and he kissed his knee before pushing it forward, spreading Xiao Zhan’s legs wide to make room. Xiao Zhan closed his eyes and leaned back, ready and eager for the blunt pressure of being speared, when Yibo stopped moving and froze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened his eyes and stared at the younger man, waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beg me,” Yibo said, his voice like gravel with desire. “You’re not getting it unless you beg.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The head of Yibo’s cock rubbed against his hole, providing a teasing sensation but little else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yiiiibooooo,” he whined, wrapping a leg around the back of Yibo’s thigh to attempt to pull him closer. “Come on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beg. Beg or it’s not going in.” The deep voice carried a weight that made Xiao Zhan shiver with want. He suddenly wished he’d let Yibo take the lead a long time ago, yet part of him wondered what exactly he had unleashed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His heels dug into the bed beside Yibo’s thighs, eager to find out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of Yibo’s broad hands ran up and down his side, warming his skin and stoking the fire in his gut, before wrapping around Xiao Zhan’s dick and giving it a firm pull that made him arch off the bed as pleasure tore through him. Yibo’s eyes were dark and powerful, pinning Xiao Zhan with his gaze. Then he leaned down to rasp in his ear like the devil himself, “How badly do you want me inside you, Zhan-ge?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Desire raced down his spine, shooting into his groin and making is dick throb. Xiao Zhan’s last thread of stubbornness burned to ash with the heat of Yibo’s steady gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck — please! Please fuck me,” Xiao Zhan said, breathless and whiny to his own ears. His hands grabbed Yibo’s shoulders, desperate. “Please, Yibo. Bo-ge — uuuugh!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The name turned into a stretched out moan as Yibo breached him, faster than normal and nearly painful as he made Xiao Zhan take him in one long, continuous motion. Xiao Zhan’s breath shortened into choppy pants, trying to relax, to adjust to the feeling of being filled past the point of reason. His hands slid down to grip Yibo’s arms, seeking a way to ground himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this what you wanted?” Yibo’s voice was even lower than normal, his hips thrusting against Xiao Zhan’s ass as if to emphasize his point, forcing his cock even deeper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan choked down the high pitched noise threatening to escape from his throat. Instead, he whispered brokenly, “Oh my god…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had never been like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yibo had always been so careful, so gentle — as if afraid Xiao Zhan would break beneath him. He’d always needed to press Yibo to go harder, faster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Yibo’s cock slid in and out, forcing deep with the power of the dancer’s body. He shifted and moved Xiao Zhan’s limbs to suit him, as if he was a puppeteer pulling all the strings, leaving Xiao Zhan no other option but to take and take and take. He maneuvered them into </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> the right angle, nailing Xiao Zhan’s prostate with every thrust, and making white dots dance in his vision.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wave after wave of pleasure washed over Xiao Zhan. He was wound so tight he was either going to come or die. With Yibo’s arms caging him in, he tried to get a hand on himself, seeking release.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A large hand wrapped around his wrist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no you don’t, Zhan-ge,” Yibo scolded him, slowing his pace to a slow teasing slide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bead of sweat ran from the man’s hairline down the side of his cheek, and Xiao Zhan wanted to lick it. Instead, he begged again, “Please… Please let me come.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s hands were wrenched above his head, held down firmly to the bed by Yibo’s hands. Bright eyes with pupils blown wide and black burned into him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s in charge?” Yibo’s voice rumbled deep in his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A quick jerk of his hips punctuated his question, nudging Xiao Zhan’s prostate again and making him gasp before he could find words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You — you are,” he panted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say my name.” Another forceful thrust shot pleasure up Xiao Zhan’s spine. “Say it, Zhan-ge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yibo,” he moaned. “Yibo, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The young dancer let go of his hands and sat up, pulling Xiao Zhan’s long legs up to wrap over his shoulders. He kissed at a bony knee next to his face, before gripping Xiao Zhan by the waist and pulling him farther up onto his thighs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, fuck!” Xiao Zhan breathed. The angle was awkward, but he was now completely speared on Yibo’s dick, somehow getting fucked even </span>
  <em>
    <span>deeper</span>
  </em>
  <span> than before. His body felt like it was bent in half, his lower back twinging as the back of his knees slipped in the moisture on Yibo’s shoulders. “You’re trying to kill me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s fingers dug tighter into his hip bones, and Xiao Zhan wondered if he would have prints of the man’s palms bruised into his skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say it again. Tell me,” Yibo demanded. He lifted one hand to slide up onto Xiao Zhan’s stomach, his palm </span>
  <em>
    <span>barely</span>
  </em>
  <span> brushing Xiao Zhan’s hard, leaking cock in a feather light caress that made the older man sob. Yibo flicked his nipple roughly, pinching hard. “Who makes you feel this good?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan dug his heels into Yibo’s back. His lust-addled brain wasn’t even sure if he was attempting to gain more leverage or trying to ease the weight and pressure that kept pushing so deep into his body he could barely breathe. “Yibo… Bo-ge… My god!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His hands reached out for purchase on the dancer’s sweat-slicked thighs, running over the muscles and then giving up to grip tightly at the sheets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo held fast to his waist, his pale chest covered with a sheen of perspiration that made him glisten like he was made of starlight. He continued to pound into Xiao Zhan, unrelenting, but the effort was finally beginning to take its toll. He puffed slightly, demanding between breaths, “Again. Say my name. Say it or I won’t let you come.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, sweet fuck,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan thought. If Yibo kept talking like that, he wasn’t going to have any control over it. The tone of Yibo’s voice had his balls tightening, ready to send him over the edge. “Yibo, Yibo, please… Yibo!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was going to die. It was all too much. Too much pleasure, too much stimulation. His dick was so hard it nearly hurt. He couldn’t breathe… “Yibo, I need… Yibo, Yibo…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The name was a mantra through the white noise of desire that held him captive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, a warm tight pressure wrapped around his cock, pumping him once as Yibo’s voice urged almost tenderly, “Come, baobao.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another upstroke of Yibo’s hand and Xiao Zhan’s orgasm rolled through him like a freight train. He came so hard he was blinded by sensations, his body seizing as pleasure raced through every nerve ending. He barely felt Yibo’s hips jerk in a quick pattern of thrusts as he pulsed inside him with a loud groan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan wrenched his eyes open, needing to see Yibo’s face, wanting to see him at his most glorious — blissed out in orgasmic pleasure. He was glowing and beautiful, like something sent to Earth from the clouds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan didn’t know how he could ever deserve him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let all those worries go as he floated on an exhausted high, his legs sliding back down to the bed as Yibo pulled out and went to clean up. A few moments later, he realized he had almost drifted off, when he was startled by the feel of a damp cloth against his chest and stomach. Yibo’s eyes glittered at him in the dark of the room, a teasing smile on his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So good, Zhan-ge. So perfect,” he said, one finger running in a gentle trail from Xiao Zhan’s temple down his cheek and across his jaw. “Go to sleep, baobao.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan curled onto his side, closing his eyes but waiting until he felt the dip of the bed and the warmth of Yibo slotted firmly against his back. Then he relaxed completely, safe in the arms of a boy who took care of him, even in ways he never knew he needed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My back is killing me,” Xiao Zhan complained as they waited for a camera to get set up. He raised his arms high overhead, leaning over to the side to stretch then switching to the other side. Unfortunately, nothing he seemed to be doing was giving him much relief.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, did you spend the night bent in half?” Ji Li sniped with a clever smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan looked over at him, startled. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should get Wang Yibo to rub it for you,” Ji Li went on, ignoring the other actor’s complete internal meltdown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan sputtered for a moment, then replied a little too breathlessly, “Why would I do that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, come on, ZhanZhan,” Ji Li said with an all-knowing air that reminded Xiao Zhan the man was incredibly well cast for his part. “We all know you’re banging.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?!” Xiao Zhan nearly swallowed his tongue as he tried, and failed, to sound convincingly surprised at such a suggestion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aww, that’s cute.” Ji Li’s laugh had an evil ring to it in Xiao Zhan’s ears. “Did you think nobody knew?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nobody knows what?” Yibo asked, coming over to join them at what Xiao Zhan recognized was the most inopportune moment possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two,” Ji Li answered, pointing a haughty finger back and forth between them. “Doing the do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s mouth dropped open for all of a second before he recovered, and then snapped, “What I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t your business.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes were cold and narrowed just slightly into a dangerous scowl. Xiao Zhan had rarely seen that frigid Lan Zhan energy being thrown at others in the last few months, and with Yibo always acting like such a puppy around him, he’d forgotten his cold temper wasn’t entirely a testament to his acting skills.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you should be careful not to break our lead then,” Ji Li said with a flippant smile, completely unruffled by Yibo’s attitude. “He might need his waist in one piece to do his job.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s icy attitude melted immediately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with your waist, Zhan-ge?” Yibo said, dismissing Ji Li completely as he turned to Xiao Zhan in concern. “Are you ok? Do you need a massage?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ji Li burst into a cackling fit so hysterical he could hardly breathe and stumbled away from them, wiping at his eyes as tears started trailing down his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my </span>
  <em>
    <span>god,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yibo — shut up! I’m fine!” Xiao Zhan shouted in a voice too high and full of exasperation. “You’re making it worse!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo stood silently, his face a mask of hurt and confusion as Xiao Zhan stalked away from him, desperately needing to put some distance between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>believe</span>
  </em>
  <span> they’d been so obvious. He couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>stand</span>
  </em>
  <span> the fact that other people had caught on to their relationship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He really </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> want Wang Yibo to rub his back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come here,” Xiao Zhan said as he grabbed Yibo by the wrist and tugged him over out of sight of most of the crew. With hours left of standing around on set, if he didn’t get some of the muscles in his back to loosen up, Xiao Zhan would be in unbearable pain by tomorrow. And there was no way he was asking anyone else to work out the knots.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yibo’s fault — the least he could do after destroying Xiao Zhan’s body was help keep him functional.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan would never be able to live with himself if he had to ask for a day off to recover from a thorough fucking from his co-star. Who knew getting involved with someone younger would actually be dangerous to his health?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later that evening, they stood around the marketplace set waiting to do wide-angle shots and a few scenes of dialogue. Xiao Zhan gestured to his assistant and greedily gulped his tea. Even though the sun had set hours ago, it was still a warm night, and he was trying to balance his fluid intake with the amount of sweat he could still feel escaping his body under the weight of his heavy robes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced up to see Yibo’s hand held out to him, his gaze expectant. The little monster had been begging for sips of Xiao Zhan’s green tea for weeks, but now he apparently felt entitled to be demanding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine! Take it, you naughty child,” he said as he handed the bottle to Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The younger man smirked. “Zhan-ge, are you still mad you lost?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lost what? You offered to help me!” Xiao Zhan argued, though his heart wasn’t really in it. He was well aware of the score.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, the first time,” Yibo conceded. “But not the second or third time you asked me to rub — ”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wang Yibo, are you human?” Xiao Zhan spit weakly, glancing at the crowd of staff around them. “You win! You win! Alright? I admit defeat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t been able to resist begging and yes, demanding, that Yibo work the knots from his lower back a few times during their long work day. It seemed only fair, all things considered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But of course, he’d forgotten the key point of their bet. It was not just that he had to submit to Yibo’s desires, though that had been </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Xiao Zhan gladly looked forward to it happening again, but he also could not boss Yibo around as if he owned him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should be proud of yourself, Zhan-ge,” Yibo commented, passing back the now nearly empty tea bottle. “You made it a whole day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan’s bitter retort was cut off as they were interrupted by a nearby shout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oy! How’s your waist?” Ji Li snarked as he passed by them on his way to a nearby set to film a separate scene.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan answered with a bright smile of false politeness. “Fuck off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ji Li’s loud cackling laughter echoed after him, bouncing off the buildings in the street.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within days, it became a running joke for the cast to ask about the status of his waist, with random principal actors reminding him to take care when he was rigged up for wire work and laughing at his unamused expression. He was sure half of them didn’t even know where the root of the joke had come from, a fact Xiao Zhan was very thankful for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet as he curled up in bed later that night with Yibo wrapped in his arms, both of them boneless and sated and </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan couldn’t bring himself to care what anyone else thought. For now, he had more than he’d ever thought possible, and he would hold on to it as long as he could.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I could never understand why the cast joked so much about Xiao Zhan's waist, so this is my head canon for the premise :D </p>
<p>For those interested who haven't seen it, the interview is real - here's a link to <a href="https://m.wetv.vip/play?cid=gnwjazjgmg997xg&amp;vid=j00341t2o2o&amp;languageid=1491988&amp;ptag=5_3.1.4.5255_copy">the bts interview</a> from WeTV (or you can find it on the app).</p>
<p>Also, writing sex scenes is my kryptonite, so if you liked it, I'd love if you let me know!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. August</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The summer is winding to a close and Xiao Zhan can’t bear to see it end. He doesn’t know how he’s going to be able to let Yibo go, to move on to other projects, to forget what has been one of the best summers of his life.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First of all, apologies for taking so long with continuing this story! Life and a severe lack of writing motivation hit hard this winter :( But the rest of this fic is completely outlined and started, so I hope to have it finished before too long. Thanks so much for sticking with it!</p>
<p>A quick note about this chapter: The scenes and some of the dialogue from Yibo’s birthday come from the bts videos posted by fansites. I have no idea about the actual filming schedule, so take all timing as the intended fiction.</p>
<p>Thanks to OverthinkingThis for the super quick beta and feedback!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He didn’t know how he was going to say goodbye to Wang Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were only a few weeks of filming left, and as much as Xiao Zhan wished he could stop the clock and keep the summer from ending, time only seemed to speed up as the final day approached. Already there were members of the cast filming their final scenes and saying their goodbyes. Xuan Lu had finished up a few weeks ago, and even though he knew she would be back for the wrap party soon enough, he couldn’t help the tears that escaped when they said farewell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After months of filming emotional scenes with LuLu, he feared that crying in her presence had become muscle memory. He needed to find a way to pull himself together. It would be incredibly awkward to run into her at a guest appearance or an awards show and burst into tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s birthday the previous week had been a bright spot — a celebration without a goodbye attached.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew how much Yibo hated his birthday, the way his company had forced him over the last few years to spend it with fans, doing events or live streams that fell well outside of his comfort zone and had often ended badly. It didn’t seem fair that Yibo couldn’t have his own birthday to enjoy as he pleased. At the very least, he shouldn’t have to suffer and dread his special day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Xiao Zhan did what he could, determined that Wang Yibo’s birthday this year would begin on a positive note.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had been filming through the evening, and as the hour got later and his birthday drew near, Xiao Zhan noticed that Yibo’s mood began to shift. He’d been fine when talking to his mother on his phone during a filming break, even playfully trying to get Xiao Zhan to speak to her. He’d quickly run away, having no idea what to say to her and fearful that she would somehow </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> (in that way all mothers seem to know things) that he was sleeping with her son.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn’t talked much about their parents, aside from a few childhood stories here and there, and Xiao Zhan had no idea how Yibo’s parents felt about his sexuality. Or if they even knew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His own didn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They knew he had dated women, and beyond that, there was no need to cause trouble or worry them. Nothing could ever come of his involvement with a man, anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing that Yibo was finished with his call, he’d wandered back over, expecting the younger man to be eager to share news of his family or possibly complain about them. But Yibo was oddly quiet and withdrawn, looking at his phone and only responding to Xiao Zhan with one or two word answers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wouldn’t do at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remembering Yibo’s fear of most things that could be considered an insect, he looked around in the brush at the edge of the set until he found what he was looking for. Carefully placing the grasshopper in his palm, he cupped his hands around it to keep it from hopping off and then rushed to Yibo’s side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve brought you a present!” Xiao Zhan said excitedly. Yibo looked up from his phone with interest, but the moment Xiao Zhan opened his hand to let him see what was inside, he gasped and jumped back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ack! No! I don’t want it!” Yibo cried as he backed away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan continued to move toward him with a smile. “But I got it just for you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Yibo yelled, turning to run away. He glanced back over his shoulder, only to see Xiao Zhan giving chase. “Oh my god stop! Get it away!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been fun, chasing him around the set with a bug, laughing and terrorizing his co-star as if they were children on a playground. After a while, though, Xiao Zhan got tired of the game, not really wanting to upset Yibo. As long as he’d been distracted out of his melancholy mood, that was all that mattered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the night wore on, he tried to watch the time so he would know exactly when midnight came. Xiao Zhan was determined to start Yibo’s birthday off right, and he wanted to be the very first person to mark the occasion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What time is it?” he asked the staff nearby as he sat comfortably, keeping a close eye on the boy standing in front of him. When the woman responded, he instructed, “Help me count down!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Shí, jiǔ, bā,” they counted down from ten, Xiao Zhan’s voice getting louder with every number. Yibo looked up at the noise and took a moment to realize what was going on. As soon as he caught on, he rushed over to Xiao Zhan with a smile and began to hit him with his sleeve.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It only made Xiao Zhan smile wider and increase the volume of his counting until by the time he got to “one” he was practically screaming when he said, “Wang Yibo! Happy birthday!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cast and crew around them echoed the well wishes, clapping and cheering as Yibo’s ears turned pink with embarrassment. He looked around, flustered, before giving Xiao Zhan an exaggerated bow of thanks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A little while later after they had finished filming their scenes, they went inside and staff brought in the cake that Xiao Zhan had helped arrange. Yibo made a wish, blowing out the candle and then refusing to tell anyone what he’d hoped for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s having cake?” Yibo asked. “Zhan-ge, I’ll give you half, ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll eat, I’ll eat, I’m hungry,” Xiao Zhan said. He knew Yibo would pout if he refused, and one piece of cake wouldn’t kill him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo looked at him in surprise. “Wow! You dare to eat it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t we going running tomorrow morning?” Xiao Zhan quickly responded. They usually went together a few times a week, when their schedules allowed for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Yibo said, his smile faltering as he looked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan smirked, knowing Yibo had anticipated their own </span>
  <em>
    <span>“private celebration”</span>
  </em>
  <span> later in his room, which almost always led to skipping the early morning cardio routine in favor of sleeping in. With the gathering running into the late hour, they would both probably be exhausted by the time they got to the hotel, with no energy left for each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yibo’s birthday, and Xiao Zhan wouldn’t be cruel enough to tell him “no.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo opened the gifts from the cast and crew members and then got changed out of his costume. Xiao Zhan watched him from across the room, trapped in a chair as the stylists carefully removed his wig.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for the helmet, Zhan-ge!” Yibo said brightly, after he’d already given his thanks to the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan had given it to him a few days before, unable to temper his impatience once it had been delivered to his room, and eager to find out if Yibo liked it. He hadn’t realized how customizable motorcycle helmets were until he’d started looking, and he was surprised to find out that he could have designed one himself. Unfortunately, Yibo’s birthday had been only a few weeks away at that point, and there was not enough time to get a custom helmet manufactured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped he might be able to do that for Yibo at some point in the future. The young man was expecting to get an invitation soon to join a racing team, and he had already been discussing the possibility of what his leather suit might look like. Xiao Zhan had readily volunteered to help design his logo if he had the time. In the back of his mind, he hoped it might be a way to keep a connection to Yibo after filming ended — an excuse to keep in touch and keep their friendship intact when everything else was over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No need for thanks,” Xiao Zhan responded with a smile. “As long as you’re happy, Yibo-ge.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo grinned. “Thank you, Zhan-ge!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me, Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you!” Yibo said playfully, just to be obstinate and stubborn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Wang!” Xiao Zhan shouted as if he was scolding him, but the smile on his face made it completely ineffective.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Xiao!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lao Wang!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s smile lit up his face as they taunted each other like a game. “Lao Xiao!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caught in his gaze, Xiao Zhan’s voice got suddenly quieter and he answered softly, “Lao Wang.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stared at each other for just a moment, and everyone else in the crowded, busy room seemed to fade away into the background. In that brief second, with Yibo still in his wig and looking half like Lan Zhan, the realization hit Xiao Zhan with a clarity he’d refused to accept before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could love this man. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he let himself, he could fall completely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A part of him already did love him. He just couldn’t be sure what part of him it was — the soul of Wei Wuxian that he’d built and nurtured inside himself like a golden core, or his own heart that was a slave to the mind that controlled it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few days later, they were standing around on set, the typical pattern of hurry-up-and-wait having become a predictable routine this far into filming. Thankfully their current location was inside and out of the sun, though it didn’t stop Xiao Zhan from sweating through every layer he had on. Yibo chattered away between sips of stolen green tea, discussing his plans for getting in more time at the race track once filming wrapped soon. Xiao Zhan hummed and nodded his encouragement, until Yibo’s topic veered into his next drama and his expectations for the rest of the calendar year.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re actually going to be doing some of the filming in Vancouver! I’ve never been there before, have you?” Yibo asked. At Xiao Zhan’s shake of the head in denial, he went on, “I heard Canada is cool. Like the US, only not quite as crazy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan huffed a laugh. He didn’t pay a lot of attention to American things besides music and movies, but it was hard not to notice the number of times the country’s president had turned up on Weibo’s hot search for one outlandish thing or another. He was glad Yibo’s production crew had chosen somewhere farther north for their filming location.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know they have marriage equality there, too, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mnn. A lot of places do,” Xiao Zhan acknowledged, looking out the window to see how the lighting set up was coming along. He hoped to be able to stay in the shade a while longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wonder how much different it will be…” Yibo said. His voice trailed off, but he waited for Xiao Zhan to turn around before continuing, “Did you know they even let couples come from other places to get married in Canada?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though it was said as a passing comment, the vigilant attention in Yibo’s eyes made Xiao Zhan’s heart nearly jump into his throat in fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you even </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, Wang Yibo?!” he exclaimed, reaching out to smack the younger man for good measure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just read it somewhere,” Yibo said defensively, his lips pushed into a small pout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As a small part of his brain panicked at the ideas possibly churning in Yibo’s head, Xiao Zhan forced a laugh. “You’re only twenty-one. Much too young to be planning your wedding, don’t you think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My parents got married at my age,” Yibo argued. “What’s wrong with that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nerves getting the better of him and unable to stomach such a conversation with a man who would be leaving him soon and had no business even </span>
  <em>
    <span>discussing</span>
  </em>
  <span> such a topic, Xiao Zhan snarked bitterly, “Yeah, well they could do it legally without needing a passport.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning away, Yibo scowled and muttered under his breath, probably thinking Xiao Zhan couldn’t hear him, “Don’t know why </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> matters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Afraid Yibo would slide into a full-blown sulk when he remained quiet for too long, Xiao Zhan prompted, “So you think your next set will be fun, then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo sighed, giving him a sidelong glance before conceding. “It will be busy. I’ve still got weekly trips to Changsha to make around filming. But yeah, it should be ok. It’s about playing video games, how could it not be fun?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s right,” Xiao Zhan chuckled, “I forgot you were going to be just playing yourself — Mr. ‘Super Gamer’ with the great strategies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo smirked at his smart-ass remark but didn’t disagree with him. They both knew Xiao Zhan couldn’t hold a candle to the younger man’s gaming skills.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The cast is all pretty young. Though there are a few guys who are elderly like you,” Yibo joked with a smile as he poked at Xiao Zhan’s arm. “But that will make it fun when you come visit me, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Visit?” Xiao Zhan froze in place, his eyes glued to Yibo in shock. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was he really expecting this to go on after filming had ended?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Yibo said, sounding less sure of himself than just a moment before. “I know you’ve got a movie coming up, but I’ll just be near Shanghai. We’ll find time to see each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He said it as if it was a given. As if the future he saw for himself, over the next few months at least, obviously included Xiao Zhan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Xiao Zhan thought, feeling as though the ceiling were crashing down on him. Yibo’s bright brown eyes gazed at him, innocent and guileless. </span>
  <em>
    <span>FUCK!</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why hadn’t it occurred to him that they were not on the same page about </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> — the obvious limits to what it was they were doing together?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure, he had flirted like crazy, and they had fucked around for half the summer. And he was half in love with the kid. But what Yibo seemed to expect — a relationship and working to fit each other into their busy, conflicting schedules — that wasn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>possible.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It definitely wasn’t realistic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The last place he wanted to have a conversation about their non-existent future was in the middle of the work day, but without a call to go to their marks for the next scene, he was left with no escape and trapped in Yibo’s expectant stare. He glanced around quickly, ensuring no other staff or crew were within earshot. The only other person in the room was his assistant, who appeared to be engrossed in her phone a safe distance away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to be with me?” Xiao Zhan asked, twisting his voice around the words playfully in an attempt to sound less serious than he actually was. It was almost too easy now, to let Wei Wuxian’s personality take over when he needed it, hiding his own thoughts and feelings beneath the cover of a smile. “The age gap between us is so big…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was manipulative, what he was doing. Trying to cleverly put ideas in Yibo’s head to give him reasons to break things off. It would be much easier for him, and probably less painful, if Yibo just realized they weren’t going to work and cut him loose. Xiao Zhan could deal with his own broken heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t sure he was capable of breaking Wang Yibo’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why do you always bring up my age? Are you constantly reminded of the fact that I’m six years younger?” Yibo asked, his face serious. “That shouldn’t bother you so much. I’m very mature, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan nodded in agreement. The last thing he felt like doing was arguing over their age difference, especially on set, where there was no reason for such a thing to even matter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s true,” he conceded. And it was. Though Yibo could be extremely childish, usually it was Xiao Zhan bringing it out of him. In truth, compared to the other young cast members who were closer to Yibo’s age, the man was downright sedate. The only other person who was more quiet than Yibo was Fanxing, but even his sweet nature was known to have a mischievous streak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s sleeve struck his arm in a well-practiced move. “Of course it’s true,” he said with a small cocky smile, moving in closer to Xiao Zhan’s space. He opened his mouth to say something else, but snapped it shut and took a step back as one of the crew came rushing over to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re ready for you to get to your spots outside,” the young man said, huffing slightly from his jog. “They want to roll in five.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a nod, Xiao Zhan moved to follow the man out the door, Yibo falling into step behind him out of habit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later that night, he was cuddled up against Yibo in bed, skin pressed to skin as they lay bare and worn out after a long day of work followed by extremely enjoyable but no less tiring bedroom activities. Though he should have been floating in a post-orgasmic haze, the stress of their impending separation had him falling into a more melancholic state.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re perfect, you know?” Xiao Zhan whispered. He ran a finger gently along the sharp edge of Yibo’s jaw before pulling his hand away to control it from wandering further. “You’re just… perfect.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes roamed over the edges and valleys of Yibo’s face, trying to memorize every centimeter so he could remember when this was over. The mole at the top of his nose near his eyebrow, the freckles which had bloomed from spending the summer days under a bright sun that no amount of sunscreen could prevent. The tiny dark birthmark on the apple of his left cheek, almost always covered by concealer, was like a target for Xiao Zhan to drop a kiss on when waking him for an early call time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>These were the things never visible in professional photos, the details you couldn’t see in selfies. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wang Yibo — the one that he wouldn’t see in person for a long time once they wrapped next week. And if the show never made it to broadcast, it was possible their paths wouldn’t cross ever again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was going to have to prepare himself for the possibility that Yibo might prefer it that way. That no matter how things ended, their relationship would never be as easy and comfortable as everything had been this summer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not perfect,” Yibo insisted with a short laugh, the worry still present in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he was. He was talented and smart, funny and crude, and so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> gorgeous. Just like everyone that the young man let get close, Xiao Zhan had been completely charmed by him. He wanted to put Yibo in his pocket and keep him, forever if he could. But that wasn’t fair. He was too young to be tied down, especially to a man who could only give him the type of relationship that could ruin his entire career.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo already had a regular hosting job and a lot of fans. His star was on the rise, and Xiao Zhan was convinced that if the show ever made it to air, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chen Qing Ling</span>
  </em>
  <span> would put Wang Yibo on top of the Weibo hot search for months. He was beautiful, and his skills as an actor were undeniable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wang Yibo couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> a boyfriend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And neither could Xiao Zhan, if he hoped to have any future in the entertainment industry. Certainly not one with such a high profile, with the brightest lights shining on him. It would be a recipe for disaster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe if they weren’t idols. If Yibo wasn’t so famous. If he wasn’t so </span>
  <em>
    <span>young.</span>
  </em>
  <span> If Xiao Zhan was more established in his career.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If they were just regular people, they could push against the boundaries placed on them by society. But that was much too dangerous when you spent your life doing the work they did, that did nothing but call attention to yourself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And on top of all of that, even if he were willing to risk it all, what guarantee did he have that Wang Yibo really felt as strongly about him as he claimed? Or that his feelings wouldn’t change? For all his maturity and experience in his field, Yibo was still just barely into his twenties. Regardless of his birthday post on Weibo about thinking that what was true at twenty-one would still be true at eighty-one, it was a childish dream to think they could keep this up, that feelings wouldn’t change when things got hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan cared about Yibo too much to try to tie him down, especially when he could offer him nothing except a precarious paycheck, an unknown future, and a closet to hide in. He was hardly the partner of anyone’s dreams at the moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo would have to be crazy to want to keep him around at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he knew it, the final week of filming was flying by. They were both kept busy with reshoots and short scenes that needed to be tweaked as the production team started pulling things together and noticed inconsistencies or places where the story didn’t come together smoothly. He and Yibo only had a few scenes together the entire week, and Xiao Zhan couldn’t help feeling that it was somehow both a blessing and a curse. As much as he would have liked to spend every last minute basking in the glow of Wang Yibo’s smile, it was probably better that they started getting used to not being constantly in each other’s orbit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was time to start severing the bond they had forged together, whether Xiao Zhan liked it or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was such a whirlwind during the last few hours of production that when he found himself at the wrap party, Xiao Zhan almost couldn’t believe it. Months of (fake) blood, sweat, and tears were finally at an end, and he couldn’t shake the surreal feeling that he wouldn’t be donning a wig at an ungodly hour the next morning, having stepped into Wei Wuxian’s robe and mindset for the final time on a mountain the day before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As expected, the wrap party was a lively affair, with some of the earlier-departed cast members coming back to celebrate, and the rest who had plowed through to the end exhausted but proud of a job well done. Xiao Zhan made the rounds and talked to everyone, spending as much time as possible catching up with Xuan Lu and Zhuocheng. He wondered if the “thing” they had going during filming was still happening, but he couldn’t tell from their interactions and didn’t have the guts to ask them outright in a situation where they could be easily overheard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After all, even the straight couples in c-ent weren’t allowed to have public relationships. In some ways, though, there was solidarity when </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> was hiding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through it all, he kept finding his way back to Wang Yibo, or Yibo was circling back to him, he couldn’t be sure. All evening he’d kept a distance, wanting to be sure they weren’t too obvious in a crowd where not everyone was the cast and crew who’d witnessed their interactions all summer. Yibo took the hint, only briefly approaching him occasionally to ask if he needed a drink or to make sure Xiao Zhan was eating something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet every time Xiao Zhan paused to catch his breath and let his eyes drift around the room, he could unerringly find Yibo in the crowd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he was always looking back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tomorrow,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Xiao Zhan thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>tomorrow his eyes won’t be on me anymore.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tomorrow Yibo would be gone, and they would go their separate ways. The summer, their beautiful summer together, was really over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tears sprang to his eyes, but Xiao Zhan swallowed them down, refusing to let his emotions take over. He quickly made his excuses and said his goodbyes to the people who were owed one last ‘thank you’ from him, and then made his way to his room to be alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew Ji Li and some others were planning a more raucous after party later, but he was too in his head and moody to be trusted with that level of alcohol. He gave Yu Bin the excuse of an early flight, giving him a half hug and a fist bump of good luck on his next project, then got to his room and curled up on the bed before finally letting the tears fall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was mourning the end of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chen Qing Ling,</span>
  </em>
  <span> a project he’d taken on not only due to the depth of the story, but also because it was relatable.  Now, after months of putting so much of himself into the work, it had become more dear to his heart than he’d ever thought possible. He might never get another chance to play a role like Wei Wuxian again, to play a man that finds his soulmate in another man, to bring that part of himself to the screen so openly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And if by some miracle it did make it to air, due to the nature of their drama, Xiao Zhan suddenly realized he probably would never be allowed to work with Wang Yibo again. All at once, it hit him like a head-on collision — it really was the end of </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> he would ever have with Yibo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At some point through his sobs, he felt the bed dip, the familiar scent of Yibo’s cologne calming him just enough to quiet himself to deep rasping breaths. He’d forgotten Yibo had a key to his room — he should have known the younger man would come looking — but he’d been too caught up in getting away to worry about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed to have Yibo finding him breaking down. And to make matters worse, he was out of time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was over. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> was over. He didn’t deserve to have Yibo’s comfort, his large hand running over Xiao Zhan’s head in a soothing caress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t get to </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> this anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought only brought more tears, soaking the already wet pillow beneath his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge,” Yibo’s deep voice shook slightly, exposing his worry. “Zhan-ge, what’s wrong? What can I do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> he do? Xiao Zhan wanted nothing more than to be folded into Yibo’s arms, tucked against his strong chest and held until the world came back into balance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t.</span>
  </em>
  <span> If he did, Xiao Zhan would never have the strength to let him go. And he had to. Yibo couldn’t be his Lan Zhan any more. For the first time, it occurred to him just how painful it must have been for Lan Wangji to lose Wei Wuxian over and over again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like Wei Wuxian, he had to push Yibo away. He had to try to protect his Lan Zhan. There was no future for them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need…” He pulled himself up to a sitting position, wiping at his tears haphazardly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? What do you need?” Yibo asked, ever ready to provide and give of himself. Just like the man he portrayed. “Let me help you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need your help,” Xiao Zhan forced out through his teeth, grateful he sounded angry and not torn apart the way he felt inside. “I need space.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Space?” Yibo breathed the question softly, confusion clear in his eyes. He huffed sarcastically, “I won’t have any time to see you for at least a few weeks, maybe the next month. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Space</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t really something to worry about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need time —”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zhan-ge, what the fuck are you talking about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Xiao Zhan let his temper take control, channeling his hurt and anger at the situation toward Yibo as he shouted, “I spent the whole summer falling in love with Lan Zhan!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not Lan Zhan!” Yibo’s voice boomed through the small room as he stood up, beginning to pace in his agitated state.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know…” Xiao Zhan said quietly. “But I don’t know where that leaves us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck does that mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Character bleed is a thing, Yibo —”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You and your fucking method acting —”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, fuck you! I don’t judge your process,” Xiao Zhan defended hotly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can judge your process all I want to if you’re breaking up with me because I’m not the fictional character you thought I was!” Yibo was spitting mad now, and this was not the way Xiao Zhan had intended for things to go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goddamn it, Yibo, that’s not what I’m saying,” he argued, his volume dropping to something quieter but no less aggravated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His co-star stood firm and straight-backed, with his arms crossed over his chest and wary eyes staring him down. It was really no wonder there were times when the line between Lan Zhan and Wang Yibo blurred beyond recognition. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s voice was low and cold. “Then explain,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My brain is still all wound up and entangled in Wei Wuxian,” Xiao Zhan said as his heart raced. “And everything with you, and Lan Wangji, is all tangled up along with it. I need to sort myself out — to get the character out of my head. So that I can really know for sure…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He paused, taking a deep breath. As much as it was an excuse to push Yibo away, there was some truth to it as well. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> gotten more wrapped up in Wei Wuxian than in any role he’d ever played. And there was a good chance that what he was feeling for Yibo was just transference, picturing him as an ideal man because the character inside his heart believed him to be his soulmate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Know what, Xiao Zhan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to say it. He knew it would hurt him, something he’d promised he wouldn’t do. But Yibo was loyal, and he wouldn’t let go unless he had a reason to doubt him. Suddenly, it felt like he was hanging from a cliff again, looking around desperately for a way to get a beautiful, stubborn man to let him go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From his spot on the bed, Xiao Zhan stared at his lap for a moment to gather the courage to look Yibo in the eye. The younger man deserved that much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know how I really feel about you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shock, loss and betrayal in Yibo’s expression was real this time as Xiao Zhan’s breath caught in his throat. For a moment, there was a similar inertia to falling, a weightlessness that came from his body going numb all over. This time though, there was no inflated safety balloon to catch him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You… What?” Yibo’s voice was a whisper, the only sound in the quiet of the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s eyes watered, nose gone pink and his flushed cheeks quivering as he fought back tears. He looked like a hurt little boy, a sweet cherub so good and beautiful that the world’s ugliness should never be allowed to touch him and make him unhappy. Wang Yibo’s pout had the power to destroy mere mortals, and Xiao Zhan’s proximity to him over the last few months had done nothing to help him build up any more resistance to it than anyone else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d never felt more like the most despicable human being on the planet. There had to be some way to get things back on track, to leave the status of their relationship in a positive place. With the current status of BL dramas, the chances of their show ever airing weren’t very good, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be a situation in the future where he and Yibo would be working together again. And Xiao Zhan had never been the type of person to burn bridges when he could avoid it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever happens in the future, we’re still friends,” Xiao Zhan said gently. But the incredulous look on Yibo’s face made a cold trail of doubt slide down his back. “Right, Bo-ge?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you serious?” Yibo’s voice was low, rasping with a calm but deadly menace that Xiao Zhan knew was barely contained. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> friends. I don’t sleep with my friends. I don’t… I can’t do that, Zhan-ge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what are you saying?” Xiao Zhan asked, fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt nervously. “What is it that you want?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want what we’ve had all summer,” Yibo answered quickly, coming over to sit beside him on the bed. “I want us to be on the same page.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The whole problem was that they obviously </span>
  <em>
    <span>hadn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> been on the same page all summer, but now certainly didn’t seem like the moment to point that out. Instead, he pressed, “The summer is over, Bo-ge. I have to… What is that called, when you’re racing and everybody is all bunched up together? I have to </span>
  <em>
    <span>get clear</span>
  </em>
  <span>… of this part, of </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> — us — so I can see where I’m going.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> that,” Yibo replied, gesturing with his hands in the air as if it was nothing but a simple task. The confidence was back in his voice, as if all of this was simply a problem Xiao Zhan was making overly complicated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It made absolutely no sense to Xiao Zhan, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it you want me to do, Yibo?” he asked with a sigh, not trying to hide his exasperation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got a few weeks off before your next schedule, right? Go take your time and ‘get your head clear’ or whatever it is you need to do,” Yibo answered, his voice gentle and placating. “And when you’re ready, I’ll be there. I’ll wait for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yibo’s hand covered his own where it rested on his thigh, with the solid warmth of reassurance and a physical reminder that he wouldn’t let go. He was so sweet and understanding, gazing at Xiao Zhan with that same bright, heart-eyed look he’d been throwing at him across the set all summer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok. Ok, Bo-ge,” Xiao Zhan agreed, leaning over to rest his head on Yibo’s wide shoulder for one last time. “Whatever you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was not the clean break Xiao Zhan had been hoping for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But maybe this would be better, letting the unavoidable distance gradually pull them apart. It would be harder for him, prolonging the inevitable, but maybe Yibo would meet someone else on his next set. And in a few weeks, he would be the one calling Xiao Zhan to say he’d been wrong to think he could handle a serious, long distance relationship. If the strong-willed Leo he’d come to adore needed to be the one to end things, Xiao Zhan could handle that. He was more mature and would definitely be more forgiving.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anything was better than losing Wang Yibo’s friendship completely.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was very emotional to write, so I would love to hear what you thought about it! Comments and kudos are always appreciated :)</p>
<p>And as always, you can find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/bjyxobsessed">Twitter</a> pretty much daily!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos keep me going! Please let me know what you think!</p><p>You can also find me here on <a href="https://twitter.com/bjyxobsessed">Twitter</a> posting news and thirst tweets about our two favorites!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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